The After Living
by airyelle
Summary: James and Lily follow their son through his years at Hogwarts. Commentary on everything...especially his conquests for romance. They know who she will be. Unfortunately, their son doesn't. Comedy, Eventual HHR. Third Year started!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: Well hello there! Glad to see you reading. Happily, you must know already that I am not the mastermind behind Harry Potter, so I will not have to tell you!**

**Author's Note: I'm Baaaaaack. Hope you all enjoyed my last story, "The Writing on the Wall," and if you haven't, but you like this one – check it out! I'm quite proud of it! Anyways, please enjoy!**

Ginny and Hermione weren't the only ones watching Harry nearly spring out of the top box at the Quidditch World Cup for the Veela. Ron and Fred and George weren't the only three to watch Harry's inevitable failure with Cho Chang. Neville and Luna weren't the only two to watch Harry's obsessive and thoroughly impossible lust for Ginny Weasley.

Two others were standing by, watching the boy as he grew, loved and befriended. They watched him in detention, on a broomstick in the library. They watched him comfort, be comforted and become angry. They saw him try, fail and try again.

This is not unusual behaviour for parents. But Harry Potter's parents were different.

They were dead.

Lily and James Potter were not ghosts. They had passed that open gateway and gone through the other.

If a dead person does not want to become a ghost, does not want to live among the living, they take the other route. You latch yourself onto a living person and you follow him or her through their life. You cannot live through them, but you can delight in their living.

Understandably, Lily and James Potter wanted to watch their son, Harry Potter, grow up. It was the closest they would ever get to their beloved child.

Harry James Potter was never as alone as he sometimes thought himself to be. His parents, after all, were looking after him.


	2. First Year  Part One

**Disclaimer: I already wrote one of these. Leave me alone. **

**Author's Note: Okay, there are going to be seven (probably more) very long chapters. Each one will showcase one, or one part, of the seven years of Harry's school life. I hope you like it!**

**Also! This is both movie-compatible AND book compatible. I didn't want to do one or the other, because then I'd have no choices. Besides, you all know anyways that none of it (save plot) is mine. It makes it more interesting for YOU, the Reader, to know that things won't be one way or the other. Thank you!**

"My little boy," sniffed Lily, "going to school."

"I could kill my brother-in-law, though," muttered James, glowering at the retreating form of Vernon Dursley who was leaving Harry alone and completely bewildered as to where to go.

"But who will show him the barrier?" Lily fretted. James didn't answer, his eyes sweeping over the scene. Suddenly, Harry was pushing his trolley over to a very large group of redheads –

"Molly!" cried Lily in delight. James smiled at their old friends.

"Excellent," he said. "I suppose their Ronald would be almost exactly Harry's age now."

Lily nodded, smiling as Harry was taken under the motherly direction of Molly Weasley. Soon after, Harry passed through the magical barrier, his parents right behind.

Lily and James watched as the Weasley twins helped Harry with his trunk and saw their shocked faces when he told them who he was. Lily felt her son's bewilderment with a pang, knowing that it would be that way for his entire life.

"It's going to be a long haul," said James, wrapping an arm around his wife. Lily nodded and sighed.

The train suddenly jerked forward and Lily and James joined their son in an empty compartment. In no time, Ronald Weasley came knocking. It rapidly became clear that the two boys would certainly be close friends for a very long time. James was pleased with this arrangement and Lily was glad that he would have a friend to share his burden with.

The compartment door abruptly banged open and a girl with bushy brown hair entered just as Ron was about to cast a spell.

"Oh," said the girl excitedly, "are you doing magic? Let's see then!"

Ron cleared his throat and tried to turn his rat, Scabbers, yellow. It didn't work. The girl looked disapprovingly at the boy.

"I've only tried a few simple ones – and they've all worked for me," she said. "For example: _Oculus Reparo._" She pointed her wand at Harry and his glasses fixed themselves. Harry stared at them in awe, but Ron glared at the girl.

"I'm Hermione Granger," she said. "And you are?"

"Show-off," muttered James.

"Sh!" said Lily. Her eyes shone. "I think she's lovely! Oh, I _do_ hope that she becomes friends with these two – my goodness, how very bright she is. I don't know anyone who was able to cast so well, so young."

"So she'll be in Ravenclaw, and won't associate with Harry on a regular basis."

"Don't be daft, James. Can't you see the way she holds herself? So confident for someone so young. Ravenclaws would rather sit in a corner and read than confront someone, or "show off", as you so nicely put it."

"I suppose…"

Lily studied the girl some more. "She'll be beautiful when she gets older."

"_Her?_"

Lily gave her husband a withering stare. "Yes _her_. I know these things. She'll be beautiful.

James tactfully remained silent.

x.x.x

The Sorting Ceremony saw Harry and Ron into Gryffindor, along with – to James' dismay – Hermione Granger. Disapprovingly, Lily saw the same dismay etched on Harry and Ron's faces.

"They'll come around," she said confidently, "you'll see."

But they didn't. Not for awhile, anyways. Even James became a little upset at the way Harry, and especially Ron, were treating the girl. Lily was beside herself.

"Why are they being to cruel? She's smart! It's something to be proud of!" James did his best to calm his wife.

x.x.x

Finally, the thing that James had been waiting for arrived; Harry's first flying lesson. James was perhaps as nervous as his son. Roles reversed, Lily was soon calming her husband.

James could hardly contain his excitement as Madam Hooch came out on to the pitch. After introductions she said:

"Now, I want everybody to put their left hand over their broom and say 'Up!'."

"UP!" yelled everyone.

To James' jubilation, Harry's broom shot into his hand. Lily laughed softly as she watched Hermione struggling.

"The plight of the bookworm," Lily said, gesturing to herself. Lily had often wondered how James could've married someone so averse to flying.

"Sh!" said James. "They're -"

And Neville Longbottom suddenly shot into the air.

Lily gasped. "That's Alice's son!"

James watched, mouth open, as Neville performed several dangerous loop-de-loops in the air. He finally crashed to the ground, a flailing mass of boy and broomstick.

"Well…Alice never really got the hang of flying," said Lily shakily, staring down at the broken wrist Neville was nursing.

Madam Hooch hustled Neville of the pitch, screaming threats back to the students.

"Drat," said James.

But he needn't have worried. Everyone's attention was soon diverted to Draco Malfoy's sneering face.

"Look what I've found," he drawled.

"It's Neville's Remembrall," said James.

"I think I should leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. How about…up a tree?"

"Give it here, Malfoy," snarled Harry, stepping up to him.

"No, Harry," moaned Lily. James decided it was better to silently cheer on his son.

"Why?" smirked Malfoy. He mounted his broom and sped upwards. "Come and get it, then."

Just as Lily was about to implore her son to keep his feet firmly on the ground, another voice piped up.

"Harry, _no_," said Hermione Granger angrily. "Don't get Gryffindor into any more trouble. Don't be stupid."

Lily said, "Thank you, Hermione," at the same time James said, "Oh, be quiet."

Harry listened to neither Hermione nor his mother, and proceeded to mount his broom, and, amazingly, shoot into the air. James gave a whoop while Hermione said, "What an _idiot_," but then bit her lip and stared into the sky, obviously frightened for her classmate. Lily's pose mirrored hers.

"Look at him go!" yelled James, jumping up and down as his son shot forwards to where Malfoy had lobbed the Remembrall.

"He's going to hit the wall!" shrieked Lily as Hermione gave a little scream, hiding her face in her hands.

But James was yelling and stamping his feet like the rest of the boys; Harry had caught it!

Hermione coolly crossed her arms as Harry dismounted, Lily doing the same.

"He's fantastic, Lily! Spectacular!" said James excitedly.

"Yes, darling, I know," said Lily laughing a bit.

James' delight was short-lived. Minerva McGonagall stormed over to Harry, and practically dragged him towards the school. Lily and James followed, worried for their son.

They shouldn't have been. Harry met with Oliver Wood, and was drafted to be the new Seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. James was acting very much like Ron; unable to process the thought of his son becoming the youngest Seeker in a hundred years. Lily, though a tad angry with her son for breaking the rules, couldn't help but be proud of him. They talked endlessly of the possibilities, even arguing about whether Harry should become a professional Quidditch player (James), or play for fun but have a real career (Lily). This argument went on for some time.

However, Harry's first brush with trouble kept his parents occupied. They watched, Lily horrified, James elated, as Lucius'son tricked the boys into going to the third-floor corridor, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom in tow.

"Oh no," said Lily when she saw the dog. "Harry – oh no…"

"He'll be fine," James assured her, positively thrilled at his son's daring, watching him tear down the hallway without a scratch.

"Don't encourage him," Lily snapped.

x.x.x

Harry's second brush with trouble happened not too long after his first. Lily had resigned herself to the fact that her son would be very much like her husband.

On Halloween, it all started when Ron made Hermione cry because he called her a know-it-all. She locked herself in the bathroom and wouldn't come out, even for her classes. Harry and Ron promptly forgot about her. Lily was livid.

"Harry James Potter!" she yelled. James took a step back from his wife.

"Lily, he's only eleven. He'll some round. Just wait."

James was right. When Quirrel came barrelling through the Great Hall, screaming about the troll, Harry was the first to think about Hermione, who, having been in the bathroom, and no idea about the troll.

"Very good, Harry," Lily whispered, smiling at her son.

Ron reluctantly followed his friend to the girls' bathrooms. They soon found both the troll, who was intent on killing the girl, and Hermione, who was screaming very loudly as it brought down its club dangerously close to her head.

"HERMIONE, MOVE!" yelled Harry, already in motion to stop the troll.

It was Ron, however, who saved both Harry and Hermione by casting the charm that Hermione had effectively taught him the very same morning.

After that, Lily's prediction came true. The bond of friendship never loosened its grip on the new, inseparable trio. James didn't mind – the girl had given his son the chance to prove himself, which he had done extremely well. She was starting to grow on him.

x.x.x

Finally – according to James, anyways – Lily wasn't quite so excited – the first Gryffindor Quidditch match of the season arrived. It was, as usual, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, as was tradition. James scowled freely at any passing Slytherin Quidditch player, and grinned easily at the Gryffindors. It was hard to say whether it was James or Oliver Wood who was more excited.

The morning of the game, Harry was refusing to eat breakfast. James assured his son that it was alright, and he could eat later – better be hungry than throw-up, eh mate? Lily told her son to ignore his father, and Hermione told Harry to eat as well. In the end, he had a few bites of toast. Lily and Hermione looked on worriedly, but Ron and James cheered him on.

"Were you this nervous before _your_ first game?" Lily asked her husband.

James considered it. "No, I actually managed to throw up before mine. Harry's doing wonderfully."

Lily grimaced as she got up to follow her son to the pitch.

Harry parted ways with Ron and Hermione, going to the change-rooms for Wood's pep-talk. Harry obviously wasn't listening, and he looked a tad green. He, however, managed to keep the piece of toast in his stomach as he followed his team to Gryffindor team opening.

James and Lily went up into the stands, sitting down just in time to hear Ron say:

"I really hope he doesn't kill himself."

Hermione whipped around to face him. "Oh, don't say that – don't, just don't!"

Ron turned around to face the pitch, rolling his eyes, but Hermione hugged herself, biting her lip, his words obviously affecting her far more than he thought.

A large figure suddenly lumbered into view.

"Hagrid!" said James, Lily, Ron and Hermione.

"'Ello there, ev'ry one! Th' view's much better up 'ere, I mus' say," said Hagrid. "'An look – innit that Harry?"

The air filled with shouts and cheers. Dean Thomas unfurled a large banner that read: POTTER FOR PRESIDENT! Lily hoped that it would make her son feel better. James assured her that it would. She, like Hermione, was nervous for her son, and she sat closer to her. James wrapped am arm around Lily's shoulders.

Twenty minutes later, Gryffindor was in the lead. Harry hadn't had much to do yet; he performed a couple loop-de-loops above the game.

Just as he was finished a loop, his broom jerked forward. Harry gripped it tighter, with both hands. The broom shot forwards, Harry hanging on as best as he could.

Hermione was the first to notice Harry's broom. She grabbed Hagrid's binoculars and jammed them on her face.

"Oh no," she moaned. "Oh, no."

Lily had her hands clapped to her mouth and she and James searched the crowd for any suspicious activities.

"I knew it! It's Snape! You should have never trusted him! Never! Look – he's jinxing the broom!"

Lily turned angrily on her husband. "Don't be stupid! Look at Quirrel! Can't you see? Severus is performing a _counter-jinx_!"

James opened and closed his mouth several times before returning back to reality.

"– jinxing the broom!" Ron was saying.

Hermione, who had been whimpering in fright said, "Leave it to me," and ran down the bleachers. Lily and James jumped up to follow her.

She wound her way through the endless staircases, moaning and picking up her pace every time the crowd gasped as Harry tried to hang on to his broom.

"Almost there, Harry, just hang on a minute…"she whispered desperately. "Ah ha!"

Hermione reached her arm through the stair and quietly set fire to Snape's cloak. It wasn't Quirrel, but Lily and James knew that it would distract him for long enough.

Hermione tore around the corner and stopped at an opening, watching Harry, terrified.

Her friend's broom had stopped jerking. He swung his leg up over the broom and sped off. Hermione cheered and clapped, beaming. Lily, though she knew that the girl could neither see nor feel her, gave her a hug.

"Oh, my dear. You saved my son's life. How clever you are."

"Harry's lucky to have her as a friend," said James gruffly.

Suddenly the crowd gasped; all three turned to see Harry reaching out – the Snitch was practically in his hand, he –

Harry tumbled through the air from the short drop to the ground. He sat up, unhurt, but clutched his stomach like he was going to be sick.

His body convulsed several times when, somehow, the Snitch popped out from his mouth into his palm.

"HE DID IT!" yelled James. "MY BOY CAUGHT THE SNITCH!"

Hermione was already racing down the stairs, running to Harry, yelling all the way.

She stopped just short of him, took his hands and bounced up and down. Harry looked at her, grinning from ear to ear, bouncing along with her.

Lily smiled. "You owe that girl quite a lot, young man," she said softly. James was too busy running around, yelling the final score over at the Slytherin end of the pitch to tell Harry the same.

Ron came running down, and punched Harry on the shoulder. "Well done, mate!" Then he turned to Hermione. "What did you do?"

Hermione looked at the ground. "I set him on fire," she said sheepishly.

Ron gave a roar of laughter, no doubt imagining the look on Snape's face.

Harry stared at her. "You stopped my broom from bucking? Someone was jinxing my broom? Who'd you set on fire?"

"Snape," Hermione said guiltily.

"You're brilliant!" yelled Harry.

Hermione blushed a _brilliant_ rose color. Harry beamed at her, and the three (plus Harry's parents – Lily had managed to round up James after several minutes' worth of effort) went over to Hagrid's hut for a nice, warm cup of tea.

At Hagrid's, the trio managed to get out of him that the three-headed dog was guarding something – something strictly between Dumbledore and a certain Nicholas Flamel.

Hermione set to work at once, searching the library. They decided against asking Madam Pince, for fear that she might suspect something.

They searched for hours every day. Christmas served as a well-earned break. Hermione was going away on holiday, but had asked the boys to keep looking.

And then, being very un-Hermione-ish, she dropped a hint about searching the restricted section. They would have gone earlier, but the restricted section was…well, restricted.

She left them wondering whether they'd just had that conversation with Hermione Granger.

Christmas morning saw Harry receive one of his first sets of proper Christmas gifts, to the dismay of his parents.

"When Vernon Dudley finally pops his cork, mark my words, I have some things I'd like to discuss with him. Forcefully, if necessary," James said, watching his son's simple delight at receiving gifts.

Harry's last present was simply wrapped and an unsigned note was the only thing on it.

Harry carefully unwrapped the gift, pulling out the silvery folds of a cloak.

James knew all too well what it was.

"Oh dear Lord," said Lily. "My son is going to go parading around the school at night, invisible, thinking he's invincible, and he'll go and get himself into enormous trouble, and -"

"Dumbledore did it; he gave it to him," said James, watching fondly as half of his son's body disappeared.

Ron looked on in amazement. "D'you know what this means?" he asked excitedly. "We can -"

"We can search the restricted section, like Hermione said," said Harry, equally excited.

"'Atta girl," said James, in salute to the non-present Hermione.


	3. Really sorry about this

**AN: Soooo sorry about this. But I wrote a little one-shot and thought that it was something that you guys might enjoy it – instead of Lily and James it's Remus Lupin. It's short and sweet and totally HHR. Have fun with that!**

**I also wanted to say that I am not neglecting this one. But I'm having loads of fun with the Mirror of Erised scene. It'll be up soon, don't worry. (Be happy!)**

**Thanks! **


	4. First Year Part Two

**Disclaimer: Not mine, not yours, no duh, it's hers.**

**Author's Note: Bonjour! Hey guys. Thanks for the positive vibe from the second chapter. I'm sorry it took me so long, but it's harder than you think, writing from two points of view (Harry/Lily&James). **

**If you haven't reviewed, please do, I need to know why you keep reading my story. Thanks!**

Late that night, James and Lily were not resting (much to Lily's annoyance), but following their son as he picked his way through the corridors to the library. This wasn't too difficult, because being dead came with the handy capability to see anyone through any kind of invisibility (cloak or spell.)

Harry managed to get to the library without any incident, and getting into the restricted section was no problem.

The problem was that the restricted section was ridiculously large. For a whole wing of the library to be inaccessible to the better part of the student body seemed rather absurd to Harry.

James, knowing exactly what his son was thinking as he stared around the massive wing, said, "Yes, Harry, but then there would be no challenge to get into it. The fun would be gone."

"James! What did I say about encouraging your son?"

"I forget."

Before she could retort angrily, Harry reached out and pulled out a book.

"No, Harry!" yelled both of his parents. They had both seen the book, although for different reasons; Lily had seen it because she had been trusted enough to do a special project on its content. James knew about it because he and Sirius had had great fun on midnight jaunts picking up every single book in the entire wing and reading aloud what was in it. This made it more dangerous. But this particular book was a tad troublesome. Knowing exactly what was going to happen, Lily and James slapped their hands over their ears.

The book, once Harry opened it, let out a terrific wail, the sound bouncing through the endless shelves. In blind fright, Harry dropped his lantern, which smashed upon contact with the cold stone floor.

Harry slammed the book shut, grabbed the cloak, and threw it over himself.

"I know you're in here," a scratchy voice said, sounding so quiet after the awful screaming of the moment before, but entirely too close for comfort.

Harry, terrified, scrambled, re-adjusted the cloak and tore around a corner. This was unfamiliar territory for him; he had no idea where to go.

Taking another sharp left, Lily breathed a sigh of relief. "He's going to make it to that room, James. You must know it, after all the time you've spent in here."

James wrinkled his brow. "I can't say that I do. I was too busy running from Filch to think about hiding in a _room_. That's a brilliant idea, though…"

Lily couldn't help laughing at her husband's sarcasm, now that her son was – relatively – safe.

They found themselves in a room that was completely empty except for a large mirror. Harry was staring into it, confused.

_Erised_ was written in large letters, followed by more words, unpronounceable in English.

"I wonder what language this is…"said James, trying to read what it said. He, unlike Hermione and Lily, had not taken Ancient Runes.

"Don't be stupid. It's English."

"No it's not!" said James indignantly.

Lily couldn't help it. She rolled her eyes. "Erised. E-R-I-S-E-D. Spelled backwards it's D-E-S-I-R-E. Desire." She looked at it with barely contained excitement. "I didn't know that Albus had one of these! These are really rare."

"What does it do?" asked James suspiciously.

Lily didn't generally use colloquialisms, but had she been Sirius, the time would have been opportune for the word _duh_. "It shows your greatest desire. Look, I bet we'll be able to see what Harry sees…" and they both peered into the mirror, only to see themselves reflected, waving at their son.

Lily started to cry. "Oh – oh – Harry," she wept. James held her, and perhaps, though he'd never admit it, a tear trickled down his cheek, too.

Lily calmed down some, and most of her tears subsided.

"They got us all," she whispered, distressed. "Your parents, your cousins, aunts and uncles. My parents…"she bit the words as though they hurt to be voiced. "Why they didn't go for Petunia, I have no idea."

"Muggles…"said James.

"Voldemort killed muggles for sport, James. Had he known about them, they would've been killed, too.

Having nothing left to say, Lily fell silent. Her silence held thick like fog and the three started silently into the mirror.

After an hour or so, Harry got up and quietly left. However, night after night Harry returned, simply to stare at his parents and missing family. After a couple weeks, Lily and James began to worry. But then Albus Dumbledore appeared one night.

"Do you know what this mirror shows, Harry?" he asked, staring at the boy with his clear blue eyes. Harry shook his head.

Albus thought a moment. "I'll give you a hint: the happiest man on earth would see himself, exactly as he is."

Harry furrowed his brow. "So it shows what you want…whatever you want."

"Yes…" Albus granted, "…and no. This mirror shows nothing more and nothing less than the deepest, most desperate desire of your heart. You, who have never known your family, see them standing before you. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge, nor truth. Men have wasted away before it, Harry.

"This is why it will be moved tomorrow, and I ask you _not to go looking for it again._" He smiled sadly, a wise smile that knowledge filled with sadness. "It does not do to dwell on dreams."

Lily buried her face into James' shoulder.

x.x.x

To keep them preoccupied, Harry was training practically non-stop for the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff.

However, Wood gives the team some horrible news one day at practice.

Angry at the Weasley twins (who were pretending to fall off their brooms, something they found insanely more funny than everybody else on the team), Wood started right in with his awful news.

"Snape's refereeing," he said glumly. George Weasley, in some kind of lucky retaliation for Wood, managed to actually fall off his broom.

"What?" said George, horrified, through a mouthful of mud. "He's never refereed before!"

The whole team burst out into angry speech. (James is included in this outburst of rage against the Potions teacher). No one but Lily saw Harry's pale cheeks and the way his eyes seemed to blaze from his chalky complexion, a silent cry for help.

Well, that's not entirely true. The minute Hermione took a look at Harry's pale face and bright eyes, she gave a gasp.

"Harry, what's wrong? What happened?" she asked. Somehow she knew that he wasn't ill, only extremely upset.

"D'you get kicked off the team?" asked Ron worriedly. Hermione shot him a look, very much like the one Lily had shot to Sirius on several occasions. Ron, like Sirius, immediately shut his mouth.

"Snape's refereeing," Harry murmured. He put his head in his hands and sat down on a chair. Hermione jumped off hers and knelt on the floor in front of him.

"Harry, don't play," she said urgently. "Pretend you broke your leg."

"Really break your leg," said Ron. Hermione looked at him. "Well," he said, "That way he wouldn't be lying."

"I can't," said Harry miserably. "There's no reserve Seeker. I have to play."

"Well," said Hermione, trying think of something practical, "look, just catch the Snitch as fast as you can. Never stay in one spot at the same time. Make it really difficult for anyone to keep eye contact with you. If the opposing Seeker thinks that you've found the Snitch, that's all the better, because then they won't believe you when you've really found it."

Harry looked at her, a bit of color returning to his cheeks. "Hermione," he said weakly, "you've had a lot of brilliant ideas, but trust me, that was one of your better ones. Th – thanks."

Hermione turned a little pink, and she fiddled with the hem of her sweater.

"Just…"she said, "just be careful, Harry." He smiled cheekily.

Lily and James had watched this exchange silently. James opened his mouth to say something, but Lily answered before he could ask.

"You want to know how she could have known that he wasn't ill? How could she have so easily have read him, his feelings? How did she know how to deal with the problem in some way that would keep _her_ happy, as well as respecting his wants and needs?"

James stared at her. "How do you do that?" he asked.

Lily smiled. "The same way she does it; I know you so well, I can read you. Like, when you're angry, your fists clench. When you're upset, a crease appears in your forehead. She knows him so well…but it _is_ a strong connection. So very strong. She can read him like a book."

James looked a bit unnerved at the way Lily was able to read him, but then he remembered all the ways that he could tell when _she_ was angry or sad. He chose to keep this information to himself.

Neville suddenly burst through the common-room door. Well, "burst" perhaps isn't the right adjective; he rather hopped.

"Oh, Neville," said Hermione getting off her knees. Harry helped her up and they both ran over to him amid gales of laughter from the other Gryffindors. Hermione immediately pulled out her wand and performed the counter curse for Neville leg lock.

Once free, Neville, who was bright red, thanked them. He told them that Malfoy had cursed him to see if he could get back to the common-room. He was very close to tears.

Lily was as well.

Harry pulled out a chocolate frog, unwrapped it, and gave it to Neville.

"Neville," he said, "you are ten times better than Malfoy any day. You're in Gryffindor! And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." This produced a small smile from Neville and a large one from Lily.

"D'you want the card?" asked Harry.

"No thanks," said Neville. "I know you collect them. Thanks. For everything."

Harry absent-mindedly flipped over the card. It was Dumbledore. On the back were some interesting facts about the great wizard.

Suddenly Harry gave a shout. Lily and James rushed over to see what he had found on the back of the card. James smiled when he saw the same Nicholas Flamel – he hadn't ever heard of the man. Lily, of course, had, but she was pleased the Harry figured it out without breaking a half a dozen school rules.

"Hermione – Ron," said Harry, "I've found him! I found Flamel!" Hermione raced over to look at the card over Harry's shoulder. Then she gave a gasp and dashed up the girls' staircase. Ron and Harry looked at each other, bemused, but before either could say a word, Hermione had returned with a very large book.

"What's she doing with that?" James asked, smirking at the enormous book. "She expecting someone to come into the dorm and she needed something to hit attackers over the head with?"

Lily chose not to dignify him with an answer. Instead she went over to see Hermione and her book.

"I took this out ages ago for a bit of light reading," she said, thumbing through the old parchment.

"Light?" coughed Ron, choking on his suppressed laughter. Hermione gave him a look. Ron stopped talking.

"Here he is," she said excitedly. "Nicholas Flamel the only known maker of the _Philosopher's Stone!_" She looked up eyes huge, mouth hanging open.

"The _what_?" said Ron, Harry and James all at once.

"Honestly, don't you two _read_?" said Hermione and Lily.

"No," said all three boys.

Hermione and Lily both sighed gustily. Hermione continued reading. "The Philosopher's Stone can turn any substance into gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life which will make the drinker immortal."

"_Immortal_?" said Ron and James.

"It means you'll never die," said Hermione.

"I know what it means," said Ron.

"I didn't," said James.

Lily stared at her husband.

"Only joking," he said hastily.

Hermione looked up very seriously at the two boys. "_That's_ what what's hidden beneath the castle. _That's_ what that dog is guarding. _The Philosopher's Stone._"

x.x.x

Unfortunately their new discovery did nothing to avert Harry's concern about the approaching Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. Ron and Hermione did their best to keep Harry occupied, but this was difficult. Harry had inherited his rather one-track mind from his mother. Hermione shared this mind, and knew that her efforts wouldn't make much difference, though she tried valiantly despite this.

The game arrived far too quickly for Harry's liking. Lily was hardly nervous at all (the impending probability of severe injury didn't escape her nervous system) but she knew that Severus was not going to jinx her son, and wouldn't let anyone else while he was up in the air.

For Hermione on the other hand, panic was ever present in her expressive brown eyes. She hastily rearranged her worried features every time Harry was near, so as to not show him how scared for him she really was. Lily, however, watched the girl who was so terrified for her friend. She couldn't do anything to help her, unfortunately, so she had to watch the little girl struggle with her fear. Perhaps it was a blessing for Hermione, the match day, because whatever happened, it wouldn't matter, so long as Harry was relatively alright in the end, it would be over at the very least.

Lily chose to go with Hermione to the stands, while James went over to Harry and watched him get ready.

"Do you think that he's going to try and kill him again?" asked Ron, perfectly serious. Hermione, her nerves already well past breaking point, whirled on the boy.

"Ronald, will you just _stop_! I can't believe that you can say these things! Just stop it!" Hermione looked dangerously close to tears.

Ron looked terrified. "I'm sorry Hermione – I was just joking. Really, I'm…scared for Harry too, I'm -"

"Worried that your best mate's going to lose?" came Malfoy's drawl. Ron, whose nerves were also close to breaking point, said,

"Malfoy, will just shut up? So, Harry's better at Quidditch than you – you should really get over that."

Malfoy gave a little growl and pressed his lips together angrily. Ron turned back to the game, as Harry was flying out. It took less than thirty seconds for Snape to give a penalty shot to Hufflepuff. This is when James returned, cussing under his breath at the refereeing skills of Severus Snape

"Albus," he said finally to Lily, "Albus is watching. Nothing can happen to Harry. Well, nothing except perhaps, you know, a hit to the head with a bludger, or a broken arm, or perhaps a twisted leg – that happened once, I think, but I could be wrong – but I _do_ recall someone falling off their broom fifty feet and breaking all four major limbs. I suppose that that could happen to Harry, you just never know -"

"James. Potter. Stop. Talking. Right -"

"Ron!" said Hermione. "Harry!"

"What?" said Ron looking for Harry, who had just pulled into a spectacular dive.

"Look Weasel!" said Malfoy gleefully, "Potter's spotted some money!" Ron finally snapped. He dove over the seat and tackled Malfoy, much to James' delight. Neville, after a few moments of thought, clambered over to help.

"GO HARRY!" shouted Hermione, cheering her friend as he reached for the Snitch. She stood up on her bench for a better view. "Come on, Harry, come on…" And suddenly she let out a triumphant yell as Harry closed her fist over the struggling gold ball.

Hermione started screaming like mad, running down the bleacher to hug Parvati Patil in the row beneath hers.

"No one's ever caught the Snitch so quickly before," said James excitedly. Well, he really _yelled_ it, so loud was the noise coming from the Gryffindors.

Hermione leapt over the stairs and dashed out on to the pitch. It was very clear – to Lily, at least – that she wanted very badly to hug her friend, but she obviously held herself in, obeying eleven-year-old protocol.

"I'm going to let off some steam," said Harry unable to keep the grin off his face. "I'll fly over to the broom cupboard." Hermione and Ron watched him go, and returned to the celebrations in the Gryffindor common-room.

Lily and James separated again, James going with Harry again and Lily following Ron and Hermione.

Once in the common-room, Hermione and Ron began talking.

"Harry did brilliantly, don't you think? That was amazing!"

"Not that you thought he would. I think that you were a tad surprised that Harry came out of there alive," said Hermione coolly. Lily laughed. She had used that tactic on James numerous times.

"No – no, Hermione. I didn't mean that, really I didn't. I'm sorry!"

Hermione giggled. "Ron, I'm just kidding! I was so scared for him, though…" she trailed off, thinking about the match and hugging herself slightly. Lily watched her carefully, something tugging at the back of her mind.

James and Harry returned, both running. Harry went straight to his friends, and pulled them over to a corner.

"You guys, you'll never guess what I just found out."

"What is it?" Hermione said, not liking at all how Harry's face was unhealthily flushed.

He told them that he'd seen Snape threatening Quirrel and that Snape just wanted to know how to get past his enchantment guarding the Stone.

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrel doesn't give in to Snape?" asked Hermione.

Harry nodded.

"He won't last till next Tuesday," said Ron.

"If you weren't wrong about Snape, mate, Quirrel wouldn't last till Sunday," said James.


	5. First Year Part Three

**Disclaimer: No comment.**

**A/N: Alright, I will tell you right now that I'm skipping Norbert and the detention with Malfoy. This doesn't have much to do with James and Lily, and it would take another chapter to get the trapdoor stuff in, too. I hope you don't mind terribly. **

Harry rubbed his forehead as they walked out of the History of Magic classroom.

"Well, I'd always heard that Hogwarts exams were frightful, but I found them rather enjoyable," said Hermione.

"Speak for yourself," said James and Ron. Harry moaned quietly.

"Harry, are you alright?" asked Hermione, watching as Harry winced again, rubbing his forehead.

"It's my scar…it keeps burning. I think it's a warning…it means danger is coming."

The three (plus James and Lily) rounded the corner when Hagrid's hut came into view. Ron and Hermione merely glanced up at it, but Harry stopped abruptly.

"Harry?..." said Hermione.

Lily could see the wheels turning in her son's head.

"You remember Norbert? The dragon Hagrid got from that man in the pub? Don't you think it's a bit odd that he had a _dragon's_ egg? How could he have known that Hagrid loved dragons most of all?" Before he had even finished his sentence, Harry was off sprinting towards Hagrid who was shelling peas on his front stoop.

"Harry, wait up!" shouted Hermione, who had started to run, Ron right behind her.

"Hello Hagrid," said Harry breathlessly.

"Well, hello there, Harry. Beau'iful day, innit?"

"Hagrid, that man in the pub – the one who gave you Norbert – what did he look like?"

"Well, I dunno – kep' is' hood up."

"Well…what did you talk about?"

"He mentioned having this egg, see, so we got started on beasts – he was real interested, too, so I told 'im 'bout the dog -"

"You mean Fluffy? The three-headed dog guarding the trapdoor?" said Hermione, horrified.

"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?" asked Harry grimly.

Hagrid raised his massive eyebrows. "'Course he was. Who wouldn't be interested in a three-headed dog? The trick with any beast, I said, is to know how to calm it – take Fluffy, here, for example: play 'im a bit o' music, an' he falls straight to sleep."

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other in horror.

Hagrid's expression mirrored theirs. "I shouldn't have said that – don't – where are you going?"

The three were already running up the slope. They headed straight for McGonagall's classroom.

"McGonagall looks as irritable as always," joked James. Lily shot him a look which clearly said that she was _not_ in the mood for jokes at the moment.

McGonagall looked surprised when the three came barrelling in through her classroom.

Hermione and Ron looked to Harry. Apparently he was supposed to do the talking.

"We need to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately," said Harry.

McGonagall looked at him piercingly through her spectacles. "I'm afraid that Professor Dumbledore isn't here, Potter. He received an urgent call from the Ministry and had to leave at once."

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other in despair.

"Now, I don't know why you need to see him so badly -"

"Someone's going to try to steal the Philosopher's Stone," said Harry, very fast.

McGonagall appeared to be choking slightly. This certainly wasn't what she had been expecting.

"I don't know how you three know about the Stone, but let me assure you, it is perfectly safe. Now, I'd advise you to go outside. Go on."

The trio walked away dejectedly.

x.x.x

Once in the common-room, Harry pulled Ron and Hermione aside.

"Harry…Dumbledore was the only wizard that Voldemort feared. What are we going to do?" said Hermione, wringing her hands.

"He's going to try to steal it tonight." Ron looked somewhat surprised at this information, but Hermione was obviously already prepared to hear it.

"_I'm_ going down tonight as well. I've got to stop him." Lily moved towards her son.

"Oh no you're not, Harry James Potter, don't you dare!" Lily looked to Hermione for support.

"Absolutely not," said Hermione.

"_Thank_ you," said Lily.

"You are _not_ going down alone. We're going with you," said Hermione. "I'm not going to tell you to change your mind – because you won't – but I refuse to let you go down there alone." She crossed her arms, and there was no messing around with Hermione Granger when she crossed her arms.

James was thrilled. "There's my girl," he said fondly to Hermione.

"But…you could get expelled," said Harry, looking up at her.

"Flitwick told me in secret that I got one hundred and ten percent on my Charms final. They're not throwing me out after that," said Hermione grimly.

Lily grinned. "There's _my_ girl."

Harry looked at the both of them, hopeful, yet scared.

"Believe it, Harry," said James. "They're going with you."

As if he had heard his father's voice, Harry nodded and smiled slightly.

"Alright. Midnight, once everyone's in bed, we'll go."

Hermione looked at him. "Harry, you should go to bed – try to get some sleep before we go down there…at least rest a little. Alright? You need your strength."

Ron was quite pleased with this notion and immediately went up to the dormitory.

x.x.x

Midnight came and went. Fred and George Weasley were rather slow in getting up to bed.

Finally they dragged themselves out of the chairs by the fire and managed somehow to make it up the stairs without falling asleep.

"Ready?" whispered Harry, who hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Ron was still waking up.

"Do you have the cloak?" asked Hermione, going through a mental checklist similar to the one that Lily was running.

"Lily, sweetheart, there isn't much we can do. Really. I have a hunch. Between the three, with Harry's courage and Seeking, Hermione's astonishing intelligence and Ron's spectacular gaming abilities, they should be perfectly alright. Besides: they already know how to get past Fluffy. Right?"

Lily tried to listen to her husband, but she was missing something from her checklist and was adamant about figuring out what it was.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, what in world is -?"

And then she remembered.

"James – James! Neville hasn't gone up to bed yet!"

"Lily, perhaps you aren't thinking clearly. There's no one left down -"

And Trevor chose this immensely inopportune moment to hop in to sight.

"Bloody Hell," said James, Ron echoing him seconds later.

"What are you doing?" asked Neville, standing up. If James had been in any mood to laugh, he would have done so at the expense of Neville's pyjamas. However, he was rather impatient and wished that Neville would simply go away.

"Hermione," said James, "my dear, would you mind -"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"Thank you," said James, patting the girl on the back.

Lily watched Neville fall in wonder.

"Good Lord," she said, looking him over. "Hermione has got to be the brightest witch I have ever met! She's really rather astonishing."

"_Who cares_?" said James, pulling his wife after him. "Harry's going to go to the third floor and I will _not_ be missing this. Come _on_!"

Under the invisibility cloak the three friends crept. The silence was shattered only when accusations of foot-stomping were voiced. Well, most of them were, "Ronald, you stood on my foot!" from Hermione.

They managed to get to the chamber all right and when they opened it, Fluffy was already asleep, lulled by a cursed harp.

This made the job easy. Harry elected to go down the dark opening in the floor first. Just as he was about to jump, the room became eerily quiet as the harp stopped playing. Fluffy's snores suddenly stopped and vicious growling, reminiscent of Goyle on an empty stomach, started up.

"JUMP!" yelled Harry, and he threw himself into the hole, pulling Hermione down with him.

They tumbled through the air for some time, down, down, down until they hit something soft.

"What the bloody Hell is this?" exclaimed James. His facial expression was found on both Ron and Harry's faces.

Lily and Hermione looked around, panic barely concealed on theirs.

"I think," said Lily, "that Hermione can do the explaining for this one, boys."

Suddenly, Ron and Harry started yelling as snakelike tendrils of the plant they were sitting on came up to bind their limbs together, which only made them struggle more.

"Stop moving!" said Hermione. "I know what this is – it's Devil's Snare!" She had struggled to a safe spot were the Devil's Snare – a deadly plant – couldn't get her.

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron as a tendril wrapped his ears flat against his head. (Again: if James had felt like laughing, that would have been excellent. The timing, however, was sufficiently less.)

"Shut up!" said Hermione. "I'm trying to remember how to kill it! Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare…likes the dark…."

"So light a fire," choked out Harry.

"Of course," said Hermione, wringing her hands, "but there's no wood!"

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" bellowed Ron. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right," said Hermione and she whipped out her wand and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. It immediately relinquished its grip on the two boys.

"'There's no wood,'" muttered Ron, "_honestly_."

But even James was now looking at the girl with an impressed look in his eyes.

"Okay, let's go," said Harry.

"What do you say young man?" said Lily sternly. Harry turned back.

"And Hermione? Thanks." Lily looked at her son in surprise.

"Well what do you know?" she said to James.

"According to you, not much," he said matter-of-factly. Lily managed a smile, but didn't want to know what was next – how much worse could you get from Devil's Snare?

The next room appealed to Harry's flying skills. Thousands of keys flew lazily around the room, one obviously fitting into the door that was locked on the other side of the room.

"It's so easy," murmured Harry, watching the keys fly languidly around him. "Too easy."

Hermione told him not to worry and to just "for heaven's sake, _get on that broomstick_."

The minute that Harry's hand gripped the broom handle, the thousands of keys came like darts at Harry, making it downright impossible to see.

"This complicates things," said Hermione.

But Harry wasn't the youngest Seeker in a century for nothing. He located the key for the door (a bent wing distinguished it) and Ron and Hermione helped him fly through the door and simultaneously lock the keys out.

The next room, however, was much more foreboding.

"I don't like this," said Lily.

"I don't like this at all," said Hermione.

Harry stepped further into the room. Large stone pieces littered the floor. He reached out to touch one.

"It's like a graveyard," he said wonderingly.

Ron surveyed the room and stepped further into it.

"This is no grave yard." His mouth was set in a firm line. "It's a chessboard."

And at these words he stepped out onto the actual board, and fire illuminated the room. It was, as Ron had said, a chessboard, and to get across to the next door, they had to win the game.

"I told you so," said James. Lily had to admit that he was right; Hermione's knowledge had helped with the Devil's Snare, Harry's flying had helped with the keys and now Ron's supreme reign in the kingdom of chess was going to probably save them again.

"They're so lucky, I bet they don't even realize it," said James, watching as Ron sent another piece across the board, dangerously close to where Hermione was standing in for a rook. The exploding pieces flew at her and she covered her face, although it didn't prevent her from acquiring a gash on her cheek.

"Hermione, are you okay?" asked Harry.

She nodded, whimpering a little when she touched the gash and drew blood.

Suddenly it was very quiet and the final chess pieces turned to face them.

"Of course…"said Harry. But then fear furrowed his brow. "NO! No – Ron, you can't -"

Ron sighed heavily. "You see, don't you Harry. I have to do it. Do you want to get to that Stone or not?"

Hermione looked from one boy to the other, afraid and confused. "What is it? What's he talking about?"

Harry turned sharply to her. "Ron's going to sacrifice himself."

"NO!" cried Hermione, "no you can't!"

"Don't be stupid," snapped Ron. "Harry, you've got to get to the Stone. You have to get past this. I'm going to do it. Okay, after the Queen takes me, Harry, you're free to take the King."

Harry nodded mutely and Hermione squeezed her eyes shut. Lily tried to remember when she last saw such compassion at such a young age. She was, for once, having difficulties coming up with anything.

Ron set his jaw and said, "Knight to H3". He moved slowly to the spot, and the Queen turned to face him.

"Check," gulped Ron. Lily gave a little cry and tried to go to him, but James held her back.

The Queen moved silently until she reached the spot where Ron was stationed. He looked like he was going to stop breathing. Hermione moaned and covered her face with her hands.

The Queen, in a rapid movement that startled everyone, yanked out her sword and thrust it through the body of Ron's beautiful stone horse. He yelled and tumbled off the thing, hitting the ground with a thump.

Hermione made to move over to him, but Harry stopped her.

"NO! Don't move!"

"You're still playing the game," said Lily.

Harry carefully stepped across the board to where the King was standing, battered and rusted, but proud nevertheless. Harry stepped up to him and said clearly, "CHECK MATE!"

The sword that the King held to his chest fell to the ground with a clatter. Harry didn't bother picking it up; he spun around and dashed over to Ron where Hermione was already looking at him for fatal wounds.

"There's nothing too bad," said Hermione.

"Okay, then we can leave him here. Come on – we've got to go."

"Should I stay with Ron?"

"No, _I_ need you," said Harry and helped her to her feet. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her across the chessboard and through the door on the other side. Lily and James looked at each other, a look that said things that no one really understood but them. They followed the two through the iron door.

The next room was filled with a terrible stench and a troll lay on the floor, knocked out.

Lily sighed with relief. "I'm so glad that they didn't have to fight that one."

"Yes, well," said James, "that have a pretty good strategy when it comes to knocking out mountain trolls. They would have been fine. Besides, that would've been rather entertaining to watch."

They crossed the room, noses pinched, through the opening on the other side. The minute that they crossed through, purple fire sprang up behind them, blocking the way out and black fire sprang up on the other side, blocking the way through.

In the room was a table covered with vials full of various colors and consistencies of liquid. The only other thing on the table was a piece of parchment. A riddle was written on it.

Hermione was beaming, which was the last thing that Harry felt like doing.

"This is brilliant, Harry," she said, her face shining. "Most of the greatest of wizards haven't got an ounce of logic. They'd be stuck in here forever."

"So we will too?" asked Harry.

"Of course not. Everything we need is on this piece of paper. Give me a minute."

Lily's face was also shining as she watched the young girl tap her finger against her chin, pointing at each of the bottles and muttering under her breath. Finally she looked up, grinning.

"Got it," she said confidently. "The smallest bottle will get you through the black flames."

"Brilliant…but there's hardly enough for one swallow. We couldn't both get through…"said Harry. He frowned. "Which one will get you through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed at the rounded bottle.

"Okay…you drink that and go back to Ron. See if you can wake him up and then go up to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Tell him where I am. I've got to do this alone…"

"But what if You-Know-Who is there?"

"I got lucky once…maybe I can do it again."

Hermione's bottom lip trembled and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.

"_Hermione_!"

James and Lily looked at each other, wide-eyed.

"You're a great wizard, you know that Harry?"

She let go, and Harry, very embarrassed, said, "Not as good as you."

Hermione smiled slightly. "Me? Books and cleverness. There are more important things – friendship and bravery, and oh Harry, please be careful!"

"You're sure that's the right one?" asked Harry, pointing to the rounded bottle. Hermione nodded. She pulled off the stopper and downed the potion in one go. She shuddered.

"Are you alright? It's not poison?" asked Harry in fright, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"No, but it's like ice," she said. Harry relaxed and he quickly withdrew his hand.

James' jaw dropped. Harry was embarrassed by being hugged by a _girl_, yet he was still terrified for her safety. _"It's a strong connection"_ Lily had said. _"Very strong."_

"Very strong, indeed," said James quietly.

"Go, quick, before it wears off," said Harry.

Hermione looked back. "Oh, Harry, be _careful_!"

"Go!"

And with that she turned and walked through the purple flames.

"I will," whispered Harry and he drank the liquid.

Hermione was right – it was rather like ice – Lily could see goose bumps popping up on her son's arms. She found the same was happening for her.

"James – oh, James…what is he going to do?" moaned Lily. James didn't answer – he couldn't.

Harry wasted no time and, taking a deep breath, he walked through the fire. He came out alright on the other side, so the potion must have worked. But what he saw next was the most surprising thing that had ever happened to him apart from the knowledge of his being a wizard.

"You!" he cried to Quirrel. "It was you? But we thought…Snape?!"

Quirrel laughed a high, cruel laugh. "Ah, yes; Severus. With him sweeping through the castle like an overgrown bat, who would suspect p-poor, s-s-ttering, P-Professor Quirrel?"

"You let the troll in at Halloween," said Harry, his fists clenching.

"The one that almost killed Hermione," said James, nodding at Harry's furious body language.

"You're the one who was jinxing my broom."

"The time that Hermione nearly had heart failure," noted James. This startled a laugh from Lily.

"Yes," said Quirrel, his cruel smile melting into a scowl. "If it hadn't been for Snape's cloak catching on fire…"

"Hermione, once again," said James.

"I would've had you."

"So thank goodness for Hermione," said James, throwing up his hands. Lily smiled again, but this time it was a smile of accord. James was right. Hermione was always there for her son. How Lily wished to be able to meet her properly.

"Even with Severus performing his little counter curse," spat Quirrel.

"Snape was trying to … _save_ me?" said Harry in wonder.

"Don't say -" began James.

"I told you so," said Lily primly. James scowled. But his attention was soon caught by Quirrel's turban.

"Lily…what d'you suppose is in that turban. I'm fairly certain that Fred and George Weasley were incorrect about it being full of garlic."

Lily snorted. "Well that wasn't inconceivable. Garlic would certainly have improved the general smell around that man. I swear, he _never_ showered." Lily was doing everything she could to keep her mind off what both she and James knew was under that turban.

Meanwhile, Quirrel was pacing in front of a very large mirror – the mirror of Erised. He was having Harry stand in front of it and was telling him to say what he saw.

Harry lied. What he actually saw was the Stone, in his pocket. And suddenly it really _was_ in his pocket.

A voice suddenly came out of nowhere, telling Quirrel that he wanted to speak with Harry, and Lily and James' worst fears were confirmed.

Quirrel slowly unwrapped his head and to Harry's utmost horror, there was a face on the back of Quirrel's head.

"Lord Voldemort," stammered Harry.

Lily couldn't help it. She ran over to them and stepped in between the two.

"NO! NEVER! YOU CAN'T KILL MY SON!" she screamed, shielding Harry. Harry, of course, saw right through her and didn't know she was protecting him.

"Lily. You can't do anything about it. If he d-dies…then…well, we'll see him soon…"murmured James, taking Lily into his arms. She refused to watch, but she couldn't do anything to block out the sound.

"Join me," Voldemort was saying, "we'll be great together…we could bring back you're parents…"  
Before Lily could yell, Harry did for her.

"NO! YOU LIAR!"

"KILL HIM!"

Lily screamed.

But Harry didn't die. Lily effectively saved him herself.

"Lily – you…your blood…you saved him…"

"What?"

"You sacrificed your life for him, sweetheart. You saved him. Voldemort could never love, could he? The one thing he could never understand. He will never be able to touch Harry for that reason."

Both looked down at their unconscious son in wonder. Suddenly a purple-robed figure burst through the fire.

"Harry!"

It was Dumbledore. He knelt down and beamed at the sight of Harry's rising and falling chest.

"We'd best get you back…as Mr. Weasley said, Miss Granger is rather anxious for your return…"Dumbledore smiled at Harry.

James said, "Hermione again. Why am I not surprised?"

"Because most people actually believe that you're not stupid. _I_ just know better…" her son now safe, Lily felt it was alright to joke once again.

x.x.x

The minute Harry woke up, Lily gave a cry of happiness.

"Oh, my dear…"said Lily fondly, stoking Harry's hair.

Harry sat up slowly to a scuffling sound at the door. Finally, it opened with a bang and Hermione raced through the door.

"_Harry!_" cried Hermione. Lily and James both saw her physically hold back. They knew that she wanted nothing more than to hug her friend and make sure that yes, he was alive, and, yes, he was going to be alright. But she didn't, probably noting the fact that half of his major limbs were wound tightly in bandages.

"Hermione, he is going to be okay," said James. "Promise."

And Hermione smiled.

At Ron and Hermione's bidding, Harry retold the entire ordeal. They were the best audience – Hermione even screamed when Harry told them what was under Quirrel's turban.

To seal Harry's victory in an almost perfect way, Gryffindor won the House Cup thanks to Harry, Hermione, Ron, and, to Lily's delight, Neville.

Soon it was time to board the train once again. Harry had to go back to the Dursleys. Another summer and then, finally back to Hogwarts.

"Feels strange going home, doesn't it?" said Hermione.

"I'm not going home," remarked Harry. "Not really."

And, true as their friendship was, Hermione understood perfectly.


	6. Second Year Part One

**Disclaimer: Okay, look. This is ridiculous. Only the people who know about JKR read fan fiction. So why do I have to mention this for every chapter?!**

**A/N: IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ. Okay. I think I have exhausted the number of reviews saying "Please Update." Nice as these are, knowing that you lovely people want more, but they're unnecessary because I will update whether you like my story or not. What I **_**would**_** like to see is what you liked about the chapter and, if there's something, what you didn't like. Thank you! **

"This is ridiculous."

Lily Potter was on the Hogwarts Express with her husband. Her son, the only one who actually _supposed_ to be on it, wasn't. The two were sitting with one Hermione Granger whose emotions were alternating between fury and panic. She settled on panic and visited all the compartments, trying to find her two best friends, Harry and Ron, who, it appeared, had decided not board the train.

"Oh no," Hermione kept whimpering. James rubbed her back consolingly.

If Hermione had chosen the panicked emotion, Lily was decidedly furious.

"Where _are_ they?" she hissed, pacing around Hermione's compartment. Hermione was looking out the window, nose pressed to the glass, eyes anxiously scanning the landscape.

"Well, there's one good thing that can come out of all of this," said James brightly. "You won't have to be worried about Harry getting into trouble at Hogwarts, because he's not going to be there!"

Had Lily been seventeen again, she would have thrown herself at her husband and hit him. She was no longer seventeen, however, and opted for the more adult, mature alternative.

"JAMES, YOU ARE GETTING ON MY LAST NERVE! OUR SON IS NOT ON THIS STUPID TRAIN BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH THE BARRIER THREE SECONDS BEFORE HIM AND NOW WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE HE IS!" screamed Lily, her nose scant inches away from her husband's.

James beamed at her.

"Look! There he is," he said cheerfully, pointing out the window where the Weasley's old Ford Anglia was rolling over midair, apparently having just missed being pulverized by the train.

"Oh, thank goodness," said Lily. And then after a silent moment which was pierced by Hermione's "You have _got_ to be joking," came Lily's, "_WHAT_?!"

She scrambled over to where Hermione was staring out the window, gaping. James was right – it was Harry and Ron.

"Well, at least someone's having fun," said James happily, watching through the window, seeing his son's wide open mouth, apparently yelling. James thought that it looked like great fun. Lily wasn't inclined to agree, and had reverted to Hermione's anxiousness. Hermione took Lily's place, and began talking angrily under her breath.

"First that house elf, Dobby, and now this? I can't _wait_ to see what's going to happen at school this year…"

James's demeanour changed completely. "But we already know," he said grimly.

And they did know. Dobby, the house elf who had visited Harry had mentioned that the Chamber of Secrets would be opened this year. Lily and James, of course, knew all about the Chamber of Secrets. Even though they weren't at the school during the time that it was actually opened, Rubeus Hagrid had told them all about how he had been unjustly accused of opening the Chamber and harbouring its monster.

Lily had always wondered why no one had thought to use Veritaserum on Hagrid – that way they would have known the completely truth. Hagrid would have never been expelled from Hogwarts…

x.x.x

The blue car was out of sight. Lily and James knew that Ron knew how to operate the thing, and hoped that, as the train screeched to a halt, they would be at the school.

They rounded the corner and saw Ron and Harry coming out of McGonagall's office. They had both looked better – Harry and scratches on his face and arms and Ron had a bruise on his shoulder and cheekbone.

Hermione ran over. "Harry! Are you alright?" she reached to touch one of the scratches, making him wince. "Ron! What happened? I saw the car! I though you were going to hit the train! How _could_ you have been so stupid?"

"Hermione, we didn't mean to scare you," said Harry. "Listen – the barrier closed on us! We couldn't get through. I have no idea what happened. We had to take the car."

She turned on Ron. "Is that what really happened?"

"Yes," Ron stammered. Hermione stepped away, satisfied.

James looked at Lily. "It was the house elf. I swear, it was. No human being except train officials know how to spell the barrier closed."

Lily knew her husband was right. They were obviously in for a long year.

"And look," moaned Ron, "my wand got broken."

"Fantastic!" said James gleefully, "I can't wait for the first Transfiguration lesson!"

x.x.x

The next morning, Ron received a Howler from Mrs. Weasley. It wasn't a pretty sight. Ron was as red as the Howler itself. James was red, too, but his coloration was due to the fact that he was laughing so hard he was having trouble breathing.

"That," he gasped, "is so like Molly. When she dies, I am going to have to thank her for the moment … of … extreme … hilarity."

Lily was laughing almost as hard because James looked so funny.

x.x.x

The most interesting thing that happened in the next two months was the meeting of Gilderoy Lockhart, a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who was not much better than Quirrel. And one must remember that Quirrel was working for Voldemort. This must tell you something about the teaching capabilities of Gilderoy Lockhart.

Harry and Ron became increasingly annoyed with Hermione. She seemed to fancy Lockhart a bit.

"_Hermione_," said Harry, disgusted. "He's practically twenty years older than you."

Lily giggled. "She's right, though…he is rather _dashing_." The two girls sighed at the same time.

Harry and James looked at them, mouths open. Ron snorted and started to laugh at Hermione.

Harry hadn't thought of Hermione really as a girl other than the fact that he called her "she" when he was talking about her. But he supposed that, yes, she was a girl, and yes, she could fancy a boy. He found it strange to think about.

Lily knew exactly what her son was thinking. Ronald, obviously, hadn't grown up enough to notice this, but Harry had had to grow up rather earlier than the usual boy.

Her son regarded Hermione with a new perspective as he walked out to the Quidditch pitch where he was due for a practice. Ron and Hermione were going to watch him, Hermione of course doing her homework in between following Harry with her eyes.

He met Wood and the rest of the team in a clearing beside the path to the pitch. Unfortunately the Slytherin team was approaching as well, brooms in hand.

"Uh oh," said Ron and Hermione, hurrying to Harry's side.

Wood glared at Flint. "We booked the pitch for today. What are you doing here?"

Flint smirked. "Relax, Wood, we got a note – signed by Snape." He handed it over to Wood, who couldn't dispute the authenticity of the note. He read the last part aloud. "'To train with our new Seeker'. You've got a new Seeker – who is it?"

None other than Draco Malfoy stepped forward.

"And look what else is new this year," sneered Malfoy. He gestured at the brooms the Slytherins were holding.

Ron gasped. "Those are Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. How'd you get those?"

Malfoy smiled coldly. "A gift from my father."

A small noise came from Hermione, which escaped everyone except James and Lily.

"She's angry, oh she's angry," said James excitedly. "What's she going to do…?"

Hermione, unable to contain herself any longer, angrily stepped forward.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy_ their way in; they got in on pure talent," she said nastily.

James choked and then started to laugh, pointing at the ridiculous look on Malfoy's face.

"That, my dear, was brilliant – do that more often and people are going to revere you – especially Ron and Harry," James said through his laughter. Harry was looking at Hermione, absolutely delighted. The Gryffindor team were laughing as well. Hermione looked a bit pleased with herself.

"No one asked _your_ opinion," said Malfoy angrily. "You filthy little mudblood."

The laughter stopped immediately and the Gryffindors gasped.

James was furious. "_What_ did you call her, you scum?" he snarled. Lily grabbed him by waist, using all her weight to keep him with her.

James watched angrily as tears formed in Hermione's eyes. Harry, on the other hand, was looking around in utter confusion.

Lily, however, was the only one who could fully understand that statement. She had been called a mudblood, as well, which was perhaps why she had a special connection with Hermione. James was particularly angry because of the fact that Lily had been called such. Harry _still_ had no idea what was going on.

Ron, however, knew _exactly_ what a "mudblood" was, and went angrily to Malfoy.

"EAT SLUGS!" he shouted, stabbing his wand in Malfoy's direction. But Ron had forgotten something rather important.

What Ron had forgotten was that his wand was not in the best condition after his ride in the flying car. The spell ricocheted backward, sending it to Ron, who fell to the ground.

Harry and Hermione rushed over to him.

"Ron? Ron!"

Ron responded by bringing up a lovely array of slugs. His face had turned a beautiful mauve color.

"Good God," said James, watching as another slug erupted from Ron's mouth. "That just isn't natural…"

"We've got to get him to Hagrid's!" said Harry to Hermione. Hermione looked at him and nodded; her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

"And I'll find out what Malfoy called her that's making her so upset," said Harry quietly, so only his parents could hear.

Once inside Hagrid's, Ron was fitted with a big bucket. There was nothing else they could do but wait.

"Who was Ron trying to curse anyways?" asked Hagrid, frowning a little.

"Malfoy. He called Hermione a…a…well, I don't know what it means…" he looked at Hermione.

Hermione got up angrily facing away as her tears threatened to fall. James was practically ready to run down the door and give Malfoy a good beating.

"He called me a mudblood."

Hagrid choked on his tea. "He _didn't_!" Hagrid exclaimed.

Harry was still no closer to knowing what this term meant. "I still don't…" he began uncertainly.

Hermione whipped around to face the three. Harry could now see how much this one word was affecting her. A tear trickled down her cheek.

"It means dirty blood. Mudblood's a really foul name for someone muggle-born – someone like me." She turned away as more tears slipped out. "It's a term one doesn't usually hear in civilized conversation."

James forgot about being murderously angry to look over at his son to see his reaction.

His son looked quite like he did – ready to tear down the door.

"I can't _believe_…I'm going to _kill_ him…that's _awful_…Hermione, I…"

She turned back to look at him.

"I swear, Malfoy will _not_ get away with this," said Harry angrily. He walked over to his friend and, after a second's hesitation put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, eyes brimming with tears at the unexpected touch.

"Don't believe a _word_ that scum spews out, Hermione. You're too good for that. Besides, you're more talented than he is – you could beat Malfoy on any test any day."

"He's better than me at flying," said Hermione quietly. Lily knew at once that Hermione didn't care about the flying, more about Harry's answer.

Harry smiled. "For that, you've got me. I'll beat him in the next match, I promise. For you."

Hermione brushed away her tears with the heel of her hand.

"Thanks, Harry. That means a lot to me." She smiled at him.

Lily and James watched the smile – and it didn't fade, even when their son looked away.

x.x.x

The upcoming match against Slytherin was all anyone could talk about. Everyone now knew that Malfoy was the new Seeker and everyone knew that Harry and Malfoy were sworn enemies. Malfoy's calling Hermione a mudblood had also travelled through the school, thanks to the Gryffindor team. All of the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were infuriated with him. Of course, the Slytherins were very proud of their new Seeker and strangely confident that they were going to win the game.

But something that gave Gryffindors a leg up was the fact that Harry Potter was so furious with Draco Malfoy that he would do anything – anything _legal_ that is – to win the match for Hermione. (And to avenge the unfortunate upheaval of slugs on Ron's behalf.)

The rest of the Gryffindor team were behind Harry one hundred percent on this, meaning that the entire Gryffindor team was going to win the match for the lovely Miss Granger.

"Remember when we did that for you?" asked James.

"No," said Lily.

James thought for a moment. "Oh, that's right. We did it for Mackenzie Charpentier – Sirius' muggle-born girlfriend…would've been nice if we'd done it for you, hey?"

"Quite," said Lily dryly.

The match conditions were superb, according to Wood, who was very optimistic about the outcome of the game. His team was so fantastically riled up because of Hermione, he really couldn't see them _not_ winning.

In the opening for the pitch, the Gryffindor team stood in grim silence. They were going to win this; they had to.

The team shot out to cheers and whistles from three quarters of the crowd. The Slytherins emerged to faint cheering amid thunderous booing.

Madam Hooch undid the clasps and the Snitch darted out. She blew her whistle, tossed the Quaffle into the air and then let out the Bludgers.

Harry wasn't paying much attention to the score – he was rather intent on beating Malfoy to the Snitch. He needed to catch it quickly.

Everything was going fine until a Bludger shot his way. He dodged it easily, but it came back again. And again. This was unusual behaviour for a Bludger.

"Look at that Bludger," said Lily urgently to James. The Bludger was now closely tailing Harry's broom.

"But … how? Because only Madam Hooch has access to the balls except during practice…"

They looked at each other.

"Dobby!"

Hermione was biting her lip so hard that a drop of blood appeared, but she didn't appear to notice. Harry was fighting for his life – well, maybe not, but he was at least fighting for the use of his four major limbs.

Ron yanked out his wand and started to follow the Bludger with it.

"I'll get it," he said, aiming.

"_No!_" cried Hermione, knocking Ron's wand away. "Even with a proper wand…" she looked anxiously at Harry who was desperately evading the Bludger. "You might hit Harry…"

Malfoy was watching Harry, laughing.

"Going to join the ballet, Potter?" sneered Malfoy.

Harry, however, ignored Malfoy's jibe. All he could see was the Snitch, hovering just above Malfoy's right ear. Just as the rogue Bludger closed in, Harry shot forward, his arm outstretched.

"He's nearly got it!" yelled James.

"The Bludger, Harry!" yelped Hermione, her hands flying to her mouth in fright.

The Bludger hurtled forward, smashing straight into Harry's outstretched arm.

His cry of pain wasn't missed by Hermione, who let out a wail as her friend held his bad arm to his chest, still in pursuit of the Snitch, Malfoy hot on his heels.

In a final burst of energy that was his last, Harry shot forwards and snatched the Snitch out of the air before tumbling to the ground.

Harry smiled slightly as he watched the Snitch beat its wings hopelessly.

"I did it," he murmured as Hermione dashed towards Harry, Ron close behind.

The Bludger, however, refused to be deterred. Harry threw himself to the side, the Bludger narrowly missing his rib cage.

"BOMBARDA!" yelled Hermione, her wand pointed at the Bludger. It was blown to smithereens and even with the pain of his broken arm, Harry gave an impressed smile.

"You're going to have to teach me that one," he said. "Hey, Hermione – we did it! I caught the Snitch for you…I beat Malfoy…"

"Hush now," said Lily soothingly, "you'll be alright."

"It's only a broken arm," said James. "Don't coddle the boy."

"And I suppose that _you've_ sported _so _many broken bones," said Lily sarcastically.

"Wrist, nose, elbow, jawbone, ankle, leg, knee cap, nose again, second rib on the left, third rib on the right, collar bone…oh right, tail bone – that one _really_ hurt; oh, and both little fingers and a big toe. Maybe both. I can't remember."

"Hush now," said Lily, rolling her eyes. "I think you're going to be alright."

Gilderoy Lockhart then came running onto the scene. He, completely ignoring Harry and Hagrid's protests, cast a spell which not only got rid of the broken bone, but eliminated all the other ones, too.

"Well," he said cheerfully, "clearly, the bone is _not_ broken." Hermione looked at the man, disgusted.

"Broken?!" yelled James. "There are no bloody bones _left_! What an _idiot_!"

Lily sighed. "A handsome idiot, though."

When she turned away, he pretended to retch onto the ground.


	7. Second Year Part Two

**Disclaimer: I'm sooo sorry that I haven't updated! School took priority until I caught influenza. This being the case, I wrote more for you lovely people. Thank you for the great reviews and I hope that I can get the next chapter up a lot faster than this last one. **

**PLEASE READ: There is no 'Mione' in Harry Potter, therefore I refuse to write it in. Hermione Granger is not a "Mione" and she never will be. So don't even bother telling me that you think she should be called by a nickname, 'cause it's not going to happen. ALSO: I am not writing the part about Hermione becoming a cat, because it's really rather unimportant for me. I hope that you aren't too severely upset about this. :)**

**Happy reading!**

Once again, Lily found herself awake and alert at a very unusual hour. Harry was in the hospital wing where he was undergoing the painful process of re-growing bones. To help the undertaking of this task, he _should_ have been asleep. But, he wasn't. Dobby the house elf had returned.

"Look at his ears," chortled James, "they look like bats." Lily gave her husband a withering look very similar to the haughty one that was Hermione's to Ron and Harry.

Lily was far more worried about the things that Dobby was revealing to her son about the Chamber of Secrets. Mrs Norris – Filch's cat – had been Petrified a few days earlier, along with a message saying that the Chamber of Secrets was, once again, opened.

Lily knew about girl who had died and she knew that Tom Riddle, also known as Voldemort, was at the school at the same time the chamber was opened. Dumbledore had revealed all this information to her when he told them of the prophecy involving their son. Voldemort was the heir of Slytherin and so, in all likelihood, he was there at Hogwarts in some way, shape or form.

And her husband was giggling over the resemblance of a house elf's ears to that of a nocturnal animal.

Sometimes Lily wondered about her choice for a husband.

Suddenly the Hospital Wing door was flung open and Dumbledore and McGonagall rushed in, Madam Pomfrey levitating a stretcher just behind.

Harry dove under the covers and Dobby, with a snap of his fingers, disappeared.

Colin Creevey was the boy on the stretcher and he, like Mrs. Norris, had been Petrified.

The next day, Hermione, ever in search of answers, asked Professor McGonagall about the Chamber of Secrets.

McGonagall explained that legend said that when the Four Founders had separated, Salazar Slytherin created a room and sealed it; only his true heir would be able to open it. When his heir came to Hogwarts, he would open the Chamber and unleash the monster of Salazar Slytherin upon the muggle-borns of the school.

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look. Colin Creevey was a muggle-born.

x.x.x

In light of this, a duelling club had been started. All the boys were going because they wanted to learn how to make an enemy writhe in pain and all the girls were going because Lockhart was presiding over the thing.

Hermione's fancy for the man had diminished since he had removed all the bones in Harry's arm, but he was still handsome nevertheless. Harry and Ron had given up on trying to persuade her to give up on him and would simply roll their eyes or glare at her whenever she talked about him.

The first duelling lesson began with Lockhart boasting about all his magical endeavours. James was beginning to seriously detest the man. Lily was rather much like Hermione and couldn't help sighing as he flung off his cloak.

"Professor Snape has kindly agreed to help me today. Now, watch carefully as I win."

Snape promptly blew Lockhart off of his feet. Hermione and Lily gasped but James, Harry and Ron laughed appreciatively. Harry looked over to Hermione to see if this had altered her opinion of the man and was disgusted to hear her ask Parvati Patil whether he was going to be all right.

Lockhart struggled to his feet with the remainder of dignity he had.

"Obviously, I let Professor Snape disarm me – because if I had really wanted to, I could have blasted him right through the roof."

James, Harry and Ron all rolled their eyes.

Snape stared at Lockhart. "Perhaps we should pair everyone up. Should we have a demo group to start? Perhaps Potter and … say, Malfoy?"

Lockhart looked startled at the reversal of power, but agreed nonetheless.

"Yes, quite. Potter, Malfoy, up here. Disarm ONLY. I don't want any of you in the hospital wing."

Harry and Malfoy took opposite ends of the room.

"One," said Lockhart.

"Scared, Potter?" sneered Malfoy.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "_You wish_."

James gave a whoop of delight and Ron and Seamus grinned at each other appreciatively. Hermione was torn between concern and admiration.

"Two," continued Lockhart.

But Malfoy didn't wait for the third count and shot a curse at Harry, which flung him into the air. Lily gasped and dashed over to her son, who lay unmoving near the doors. Hermione tried to get through, but Ron held her back. He was stronger than her and was able to keep her in check. She whimpered until Harry, moaning quietly, stood up.

He walked slowly to Malfoy, who was grinning.

"I said, DISARM ONLY," said Lockhart.

"One," said Snape.

"RICTUSEMPRA!" shouted Harry. Malfoy was thrown into the air and landed painfully several feet back. Hermione cheered with the rest of the Gryffindors. _She_ had been the one to teach Harry that spell.

Harry and Malfoy stayed paired up. Hermione was put with Millicent Bulstrode of Slytherin and Ron with a Ravenclaw boy Harry couldn't quite place. Everyone else was paired up and soon curses were flying through the air, a great deal of them missing their targets all together.

After a quarter of an hour there were only a few pairs left. Ron hadn't been able to do much with his wand and so he and the Ravenclaw boy sat down to cheer on everyone else.

Harry and Malfoy were still going at it, as well as Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode.

Had it been strictly magical, Hermione would have won the duel. But Millicent Bulstrode was much larger - she had caught her in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering painfully.

"Foul!" shouted James.

"Red Card!" shouted Dean.

"There are no bloody red cards in the wizarding world!" yelled Ron.

Harry started to run towards her, but Malfoy shot a curse at him. Harry ducked to avoid it, and then stood in between the two, unsure of what to do.

"Can't help your girlfriend?" sneered Malfoy. This, effectively, is what decided Harry.

He raced over to Hermione and yanked Millicent Bulstrode off of her. Grabbing her, he shoved her back to Ron and Seamus who formed a human barrier around her. Harry then spun around to face Malfoy.

Snape was whispering something to him. Malfoy whipped around and yelled something. A snake erupted from the end of his wand and Harry stepped back while everyone else recoiled in fear. The snake advanced upon Justin Finch-Fletchly.

"Get away from him," Harry told the snake. "Go on, move!"

The student body stepped away from Harry.

Lily looked at James, who, for once, was serious. "He's a Parselmouth, Lily."

"As if his life isn't difficult enough already," snapped Lily, glaring at the snake.

James watched his son, shaking his head. "What kind of sadistic star was this kid born under to deserve all this?"

Snape finally stepped up to the snake and finished the spell. The ringing silence that followed confused Harry. He'd just saved Justin's life, hadn't he? Why was everyone looking at him that way?

Hermione finally managed to push through Ron and Seamus, and dashed over to Harry.

"Come _on_, Harry. Let's go. Harry! _Come on_!"

She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room. Ron followed suit, Justin staring, terrified, after the three.

Hermione, with surprising strength, dragged Harry up several flights of stairs to a deserted corridor.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were a Parselmouth?" demanded Ron.

"A what?" said Harry.

"Wait," said James, "I know – she's going to know exactly what it is and that Voldemort was one and that's because Slytherin was one too."

"You can talk to snakes," said Hermione urgently.

"Well, yeah," said Harry. "But I bet loads of people can."

"No," said Hermione sharply. "They can't. It was sort of a … trademark … of Salazar Slytherin's. Harry – You-Know-Who could do it, too."

"Told ya," said James.

"So everyone's going to start thinking that you're the heir of Slytherin," said Ron grimly.

"But I'm not!" said Harry indignantly.

"We know that Harry," said Hermione. "But that doesn't mean that other people won't have their own suspicions." She looked at him. "Just be careful – okay?"

x.x.x

Ron was correct. Now more and more people thought him to be the one that opened the Chamber of Secrets.

One day after classes, Harry was walking and he heard a voice. Not inside his head like, but almost in the walls. It was the same voice he thought he had heard before Mrs. Norris had been Petrified. Harry followed the sound, his parents just behind him.

He raced around a corner to find Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick Petrified.

This didn't help Harry's situation much. Most of the student body was now convinced of Harry's involvement with the Chamber – Ron and Hermione were his only allies.

x.x.x

After Nearly Headless and Justin were brought to the hospital wing, Hermione began muttering under her breath.

"Hermione, what is it?" asked Harry.

Hermione was silent for a moment. "We have to find out who's doing this," she finally burst out. "I can't stand it for much longer."

Harry furrowed his brow. "But … how are we going to find out who it is?"

"An excellent question," said James. "Hermione?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "There's a difficult one to figure out, mate. Come on – who's the one who's staunchly against muggle-borns?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy," began Hermione angrily.

"Who'd you think?" Ron asked, rather tactlessly. "You heard him…"

Hermione glared at him.

"D'you have any ideas?" asked Harry. "For proof, I mean."

"Of course she does," said James confidently.

"Actually…" said Hermione.

"What is it?" asked Lily and Ron.

Hermione bit her lip. "I dunno…we'll be breaking about _fifty_ school rules. And it'll be dangerous – very dangerous."

James threw up his arms. "I'm in!" he said cheerfully. "I love this girl. Danger _and_ rule breaking – what a fantastic plan."

"What is it?" asked Harry curiously.

Hermione smiled mischievously. "Follow me," she said and she grabbed Harry's wrist. Ron ran to catch up, James and Lily exchanging looks.

Hermione first went to Lockhart's room.

"_Lockhart?!_" said Harry, James and Ron.

"What the bloody hell are we doing in here," asked Ron.

"I second that," said James.

Hermione tutted. "I'm here to exploit that man's colossal ego by taking advantage of the fact he'll do anything if you flatter him. I'm getting us into the restricted section of the library."

"Oh," said James intelligently. "I see." Lily hugged Hermione, laughing.

Hermione went over to his desk. Ron and Harry were happy to stay at least twenty feet away from him. They could see what she was doing from the back, though. They saw his chest puff out substantially at one point.

"How thick can you possibly get?" asked James in disgust.

"I think that he takes the cake," said Lily.

"Nope," said James. "He gets the whole bakery. _Honestly_."

Hermione returned, beaming.

"Got it," she said, then took off down the hallway, Harry and Ron only just managed to keep up with her quick steps. She turned in through the library doors.

"Wonderful," grumbled Ron, "another one of my favorite places in the castle."

Hermione showed the note to Madam Pince, who grudgingly let them in the locked doors of the restricted section.

Hermione immediately flew into action, leaving everyone else standing around, wondering what they should do.

"Got it!" came her faint voice from a few rows down.

When Harry and Ron finally found her, she was holding a _very_ large book and was biting her lip.

"What book is that?" asked James, trying to see.

"Oh no," said Lily, who'd obviously seen it before. "This can't be good."

Hermione turned over the book to show Ron and Harry the cover. _Moste Potente Potions _was written in peeling letters and the spine was all but non-existent.

"We're brewing a potion?" asked Ron.

"Which one?"

Hermione smiled grimly. "The Polyjuice Potion."

Harry remained non-plussed. "What does it do?"

"It turns you into someone else."

"Brilliant idea, Hermione!" yelled James.

Lily glared at him. "You've obviously forgotten the fact that that potion is _illegal_."

"Course I haven't," said James. "That's the best part!"

Obviously, the idea was that the three would change into Crabbe, Goyle and some other Slytherin girl for Hermione.

"How long will it take to brew?" asked Harry.

Hermione looked up at him. "A month."

"A month? Malfoy – if it is him – could have killed half the muggle-borns in the _school_ by then!"

"I know." She hugged the book to her chest. "But it's the only plan we've got."

So, for the next month, Harry, Ron and Hermione brewed the Polyjuice potion. James had at once wondered where they would brew the illegal liquid, but Hermione had thought of that, too.

"Hermione. This is a _girls'_ bathroom. Are you _sure_ that we're allowed to be in here?" asked Ron nervously.

"Of course you're not," said James cheerily. "That's the beauty of the thing."

"No one ever comes in here," said Lily.

"Why?" asked James.

"Moaning Myrtle," whispered Lily.

"Who?" said James.

"_Moaning Myrtle!_" whispered Lily.

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" asked Ron.

"I AM!"

The ghost of a girl came swooping through the air and passed right through Ron.

"It's the girl who was killed fifty years ago," said Lily urgently. "No girls ever come in because they're all afraid of her."

James swallowed. "I can see why."

x.x.x

The Polyjuice Potion. Harry hoped that he would never, ever have to taste it again. It was hardly worth taking for the tiny bit of information that they received from Malfoy, other than the fact that he wasn't the heir of Slytherin, which was a bit disappointing for Ron, who had been hoping to see Malfoy get arrested.

"Well, mate, you can't get everything in life, can you? Besides – that would suck out all the fun in life. One of these days our lovely Miss Hermione is going to get him back for what he said to her, and I bet that you wouldn't want to miss that. Keep him around until then."


	8. Second Year Part Three

**Disclaimer: Hi there. Wow. I haven't written in the longest time... so sorry about that. School, music, you know how it gets…I might advise you to re-read the last chapter, to refresh your minds. **

**Happy Reading!**

There were no more attacks for awhile. Harry's parents, however, were in no way deceived by the lack of events. Well, _Lily_ was in no way deceived – James forgot about the entire thing for awhile, so he hardly counts.

Valentines Day rolled around. Of course, our trio of students were not quite old enough to appreciate such a holiday and it went largely unobserved by the three. James got a kiss out of it, but other than that, he, too, thought that it was a rather pointless holiday.

It was in the days _after_ Valentines Day that became important.

Harry and Ron were walking down the hallway when, as they turned a corner, their shoes became rapidly soaked.

"What the…" said Ron, staring down the corridor. It was, indeed, a sight to behold: water, at times calf-deep, filled the hallway.

"Moaning Myrtle," sighed Lily.

The boys splashed their way down the corridor, turning into the bathroom.

"She's flooded the lavatory," said Ron in awe.

"Talk about being emotionally unstable," said James.

Myrtle herself suddenly appeared.

"Have you come to throw another book at me?" she bawled.

Harry furrowed his brow. "Why would we want to throw a book at you?" he asked.

"I dunno," sobbed Myrtle. "But I was sitting in the U-Bend, thinking about death, when it dropped right through my head." Unable to restrain herself any longer, she dove into a toilet, howling, resurfacing a minute later.

"But," said Ron, trying to make sense of this, "it wouldn't hurt you, right? You're a ghost – you wouldn't feel it or anything…"

Myrtle turned on Ron, instantaneously furious.

"OH, SURE," shrieked Myrtle, "LET'S ALL THROW BOOKS AT MYRTLE. TEN POINTS IF YOU GET IT THROUGH HER HEAD, TWENTY IF YOU GET IT THROUGH HER _STOMACH_!"

"You see what I mean," said James. "Classic case of emotional instability. She really ought to get that checked on…"

Lily smacked her husband playfully, but couldn't help laughing.

"Where's the book," asked Harry kindly. Myrtle jabbed a finger towards a stall before disappearing through a faucet.

Harry went over to where she directed him and picked up the small black book. He rifled through its pages, but it was empty. A diary without a writer.

He flipped it over. On the back, someone's name was embossed in gold.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," murmured Harry, tracing a finger over the name.

"WHAT?" Lily ran over to her son. Tom Marvolo Riddle was Voldemort's given name.

"Put that down, right now young man," said James, for once concerned for his son.

Harry, of course, couldn't hear his mother or father, and when the he and Ron left, he brought the diary with him.

x.x.x

Late that night, Harry flipped through the empty pages of the diary. Finally, he grabbed some ink and a quill. He let a single drop of ink fall onto the paper. It immediately vanished.

Instantly alert, Harry, James and Lily leaned in to better see the diary. Nothing happened.

Harry picked up his quill again and wrote: _My name is Harry Potter_.

_**Hello Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle.**_Harry gave a gasp as the writing appeared on its own accord. After a moment it disappeared again.

Desperate for answers about the Chamber of Secrets, Harry continued: _Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?_

_**Yes**_, came the reply. Harry stared at it excitedly.

_Could you tell me?_

_**No**_

Lily watched in horror. Her son was conversing with her murderer. James, sensing her distress, wrapped his arms around her tightly.

_**But I can show you**_.

"NO!" shouted Lily.

But it was too late. The diary flipped to the 21st of June, fifty years ago, and Harry and his parents were sucked in.

Harry soon realized that he was still in Hogwarts, only in an earlier time, and he followed a boy who he heard called "Tom" – obviously the boy from the diary.

Four men came down the corridor, holding a stretcher. An arm dangled uselessly off the side.

Lily whimpered and turned her head away, James copying her. That girl was Moaning Myrtle.

Tom was talking with a much younger Dumbledore.

"They wouldn't really close Hogwarts?" he was saying worriedly.

"That is up to Headmaster Dippet to decide," said Dumbledore.

"What if the person was caught?" asked Tom quickly. "What if the monster was caught? Would it stay open, then?"

Tom was off and running by then – he missed Dumbledore's suspicious look. Tom burst into a tiny door where a large person was talking quietly to something in a crate.

"You have to give yourself up, Hagrid," said Tom, pointing his wand. "Your monster – it _killed_ someone. You can't get away with that."

"Aragog never killed no-one," protested Hagrid.

"NO!" yelled Harry. "Hagrid didn't do anything!" But no one except Lily and James could hear him.

Harry, Lily and James found themselves being pulled away from the scene, Riddle having cornered Aragog – who was a spider – and Hagrid.

x.x.x

"Hagrid _couldn't_ have done it. No way," said Hermione.

"I know," said Harry.

"But say he did," began Ron. "Say he did – he'd know how to get into the Chamber of Secrets."

"He's our friend," reasoned Hermione. "Why don't we just go and ask him?"

"Oh, that would be a pleasant visit," scoffed Ron. "Hello Hagrid – have you set anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"

They looked at each other in despair.

Neville suddenly came barrelling out into the courtyard.

"Harry!" he gasped. "You've got to come – I don't know who did it, but you've got to see."

They followed Neville up to the Gryffindor tower and then into the boys' dormitory.

It was a mess. Harry's things were everywhere and someone had punctured his pillows, leaving feathers all over everything.

"Someone must've been looking for something," said Ron. Harry rummaged through the mess.

"They found it," he said grimly. "Riddle's diary is gone."

x.x.x

"Okay team," said Wood, "Hufflepuff aren't playing very well – and today has good conditions, too – so we should be able to win this one."

"That," said Fred Weasley, "and the fact that no one will go anywhere near Harry because they're afraid he's going to Petrify them."

"That too," said Wood.

They walked out to the pitch entryway. Professor McGonagall was waiting for them.

"Hello Professor," said Wood.

"Wood," said McGonagall, "the game has been cancelled."

"You can't _cancel_ Quidditch," said Wood, his mouth dropping in horror.

"Hush," interrupted McGonagall. "I want everyone to go back to the common room immediately." Harry started to go as well, but McGonagall stopped him. "Stay with me Potter. We'll find Mr. Weasley – there's something the both of you should see."

James and Lily looked at each other, not wanting to guess what had happened.

Harry and McGonagall found Ron and she led them to the Hospital Wing.

"This might come as a wee bit of a shock," warned McGonagall gently.

They went through a set of curtains to see –

"_Hermione_," gasped Harry. Ron's mouth dropped open. James rushed over to the girl, Lily taking the other side. It was silent for a moment.

"Oh, darling," murmured Lily. James looked up at Lily's exclamation. He then saw at what she had exclaimed.

Harry was staring at Hermione, dismayed. He sat down beside his mother and put his head in his hands.

"Not you, Hermione," he whispered, stricken, looking at her frozen hand. He reached out and placed his on hers, squeezing gently.

McGonagall watched the two boys sadly.

"She was found with this," she said, holding up a mirror. "Does it mean anything to you?" Both boys shook their heads robotically. Ron was staring at Hermione's face, her glazed expression trained constantly on the ceiling.

"Stay as long as you like," she said, and patted both on the back. She left after saying a word to Madam Pomfrey who nodded sadly as she saw the two boys and their frozen best friend.

x.x.x

The only good think that came out of Hermione being Petrified was that almost everyone stopped believing that he was the heir.

"You and Hermione were really close," said Ernie Macmillan, a friend of Justin's. "Speaking on behalf of all Hufflepuffs, we don't believe that you are the heir anymore. You'd never attack Hermione, and we know it."

James smiled slightly. "Hermione saves Harry's reputation once again, and she hasn't done anything except get herself Petrified."

Lily looked up at her husband. Hermione's attack was upsetting him much more than he'd ever admit. Lily knew that he loved that little girl – almost like a daughter – and he hated seeing her in her frozen state.

Harry and Ron knew that there was nothing else for it except to go to Hagrid and ask him directly. So they set off using James's cloak, one cool evening.

Hagrid, letting them in, was clearly nervous about something. Every time he heard the tiniest noise, he'd jump. When someone knocked on the door, the house shook, he jumped so high.

"Put on the cloak," he hissed to Harry and Ron. They dove under it and Hagrid opened the door, revealing Dumbledore and the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge.

"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge. "Three attacks on muggle-borns…this has got to stop."

"It wasn't me!" protested Hagrid loudly. "I didn't do nothin'!"

"Your record proves otherwise. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you away…"

"Where? Not Azkaban!"

Just as Fudge was about to give an affirmation of this statement, another knock on the door sounded. This time it was Lucious Malfoy.

"What are you doin' here," growled Hagrid. "Get out of my house!"

Malfoy's lip curled. "Believe me – I'd like nothing more … you call this a _house_?"

James made faces at him until he turned around, facing the opposite direction. When James got a good look at Malfoy's back, there was a crash, only heard by Lily, as James fell off his chair. He lay crouched on the ground, shoulders shaking.

"He's wearing," managed James through his laughter, "a _bow._" By then he was doubled over and gasping for air. Lily caught the giggles too, and soon she too was doubled over.

"Malfoy is seriously confused as to his gender," snickered James after his laughter had subsided.

"Either that, or he wishes he could be a woman," giggled Lily, causing James to laugh again.

Because they could see through the Invisibility cloak, James and Lily could see the boys were having difficulties with this issue as well. Both hands were clapped over their mouths and their bodies were shaking with silent laughter.

But the merriment was immediately stopped once Malfoy made clear the purpose of his visit.

"This," he said, waving an important-looking document in front of Dumbledore's nose, "is a release form. The other governors and I believe that it is time for a change here at Hogwarts."

"No!" Burst out Hagrid, James and Lily. "With Dumbledore gone … they're'll be killins' next – mark my words!"

Malfoy turned back. "Somehow I doubt it – you'll be gone, won't you?" And he swept out of the front door. Dumbledore, Fudge and Hagrid followed.

But before he left, Hagrid turned, and looked straight at the boys.

"If anybody was looking…for some stuff…my advice is to _follow the spiders._ Yup, follow the spiders, that's right. Oh – and somebody will have to feed Fang."

And with that, he left.

The minute the door closed, Harry tossed off the cloak.

"Ron. We have to go…follow the spiders, remember?"

Ron's answer was a whimper.

"Oh dear," said Lily. "I don't like where this is going."

"I do," said James. "C'mon, let's go!"

x.x.x

The forest was dark and Fang's constant whimpering didn't help the levels of fear. Neither did the thousands of spiders that were everywhere. Ron was in a constant state of paranoia, which made things a little difficult for Harry. It was lucky that the spiders were easy to follow, as there were so many of them.

The spiders led the boys and Lily and James to a very large clearing. Harry couldn't believe the number of spiders that were crowded into the space. He wasn't feeling quite as brave anymore.

"_Who goes there_," a great voice rumbled. The sound seemed to seep out of the ground and along with it came the largest spider Harry had ever imagined.

"We…are…friends of Hagrid," stammered Harry. Ron whimpered.

"Hagrid has never sent other men in here," mused the spider.

Harry suddenly remembered something.

"Are you…Aragog?" asked Harry, remembering Hagrid yelling something about Aragog when he travelled into the diary.

"Yes…tell me – why did Hagrid send you?"

"Did you kill that girl?" Harry asked boldly.

A hiss escaped the clearing.

"Never!" howled the spider. "I never saw anything out of the box that Hagrid made for me."

"Could you…could you tell me about the monster that _is_ in the castle?"

"_We do not speak its name_," roared Aragog. "Spiders flee before it…it is why we are all coming here…"

"_Harry_," whimpered Ron.

"One second, Ron -"

"_NO! Look!_" Ron pointed skywards.

Thousands of spiders larger than Harry were descending upon them.

"You…you wouldn't…"said Harry.

"Good-bye friends of Hagrid. We have not eaten human flesh in years…"

Lily and Ron screamed as the spiders dropped. James and Harry grabbed their respective parteners and started to run. Harry knew a spell that helped dispel one spider at a time, but there were too many of them.

Bright lights suddenly blinded them and Harry wondered vaguely whether he was dying.

He wasn't however. The lights belonged to a friend that they had lost earlier that year…

"It's the _car_," said Ron in wonder.

"Come on, get _in_," hollered James and then tumbled into the car, yanking the doors shut just as the spiders came pelting against the vehicle.

"Go, go, go!" yelled James, who was clearly having that time of his life.

The boys and Lily made it back in one piece. Once out of the forest, the car ejected them and they ran into the castle, still aware of the danger in the forest. Although, the spiders wouldn't go anywhere near the castle, so they were fairly safe. From Aragog anyways.

x.x.x

Harry and Ron went straight to the hospital wing to check on Hermione. None of the four enjoyed the visits, but Harry wanted to see her.

He sat on her left, changed her flowers, and then gently took her hand.

"We need you Hermione…we need you so much right now…" he rubbed her hand.

Suddenly his fingers brushed something. He got off the bed, onto his knees and peered into her hand, which was curled into a fist.

"Ron," whispered Harry, "look at this."

James, Lily, Ron and Harry knelt beside her, trying to see the paper that was scrunched between her fingers.

"We'll have to pull it out," decided Ron. Gently, Harry pried the parchment out of her hand. He smoothed it out, and skimmed it.

James read over his son's shoulder and his eyes widened.

"Bloody Hell," he whistled. "She did it. I can not believe it. Lily, darling, she's done it!"

Lily rushed over and looked at the sheet in her son's hands.

"Oh," was all she could say. Her eyes searched the paper. It was all there: the Basilisk, the spider's fear of it…also, how it only killed people if it looked directly into their eyes, which explained the mirror that Hermione had had with her. And Hermione herself had figured out how a great dirty snake was getting around the castle.

_Pipes_, she had written.

Harry looked perfectly prepared to throw his arms around his friend. Lily kept shaking her head in disbelief, reading the page over and over. A look of pride crossed her face, lighting it up.

Then it fell.

"Oh, blast," she said, "this means we're going into the Chamber of Secrets, doesn't it?"

"Absolutely!" shouted James. "And Harry's going to fight the biggest reptile in the world, other than the dragon, and it's going to be such great fun!"

Lily dropped her head into her hands, not in fear and desperation, but in making sure that James couldn't see that he was making her laugh.


	9. Second Year Part Four

Disclaimer : Wow. It has literally been YEARS since I've written. I've missed this. Hopefully you have too. Oh – this one was hard to make funny because of the subject matter. Hopefully next section will be funnier. So: happy reading!

Harry looked back up at Ron.

"Ron…that girl who died…they said she died in a bathroom."

Ron looked at him, perplexed. "Come again?"

"The last time that the Chamber was opened, that girl died. She died in a bathroom."

The boys looked at each other slowly.

"What if…" began Ron, in awe.

"She never left. What if she never left," repeated Harry, his heartbeat quickening at the thought.

"We need to go see Moaning Myrtle," Harry said, and they set off immediately, James and Lily following just behind them, looking extremely proud of their son.

The bathroom was quiet, and they stepped into it carefully.

"Myrtle?" asked Harry, "are you there?"

She swooped out from one of the stalls, wearing a ferocious scowl, which disappeared immediately after she realized who was there.

"Oh, hello Harry," she said shyly, giggling. James pretended to vomit into a sink. Lily, being more refined, wished thoroughly to be able to do the same, but refrained herself, allowing a small grimace only.

The look on Harry's face was quite comical, however, and it appeared that he, too, was actively trying to stand his ground and not run away.

"Erm, yes, um, how are you?" he babbled. James elbowed Ron, who, by some insane miracle, passed it on to Harry. Ron, of course, was exempt from talking to the ghost, as the chance of her sticking a limb through his head was pretty much 100%.

"Uh, right then. Myrtle, we came here to ask you a question."

"Of course," she purred. Lily looked at the girl with disgust.

"My God," said James, "have a little _dignity_, why don't you?"

"Well, um, we were just wondering whether, um…" stuttered Harry, unsure of how to phrase the question. No need to worry, Ron took care of that reasonably well, ghost limbs penetrating his head or not.

"How, exactly, did you die?"

Harry looked at his friend. "Very subtle, mate. Well done. I'll have great fun watching her torment you for, y'know, the rest of your life!"

"He's right you know," put in James for good measure.

But Myrtle, acting completely out of character, did nothing of the sort. A dreamy look passed over her face, and she began to tell them exactly about her death as though it had been the one moment of pleasure she had been subjected to in her short life.

"It probably was," affirmed James, "I'll bet that she was the most annoying thing around in her year."

Lily hit him gently, but knew it pointless to disagree.

"Well," said Myrtle, "it happened like this: Olive Hornby was teasing me."

"Olive Hornby, I salute you," said James, standing erect, and performing a military salute in the general direction of the door.

Lily laughed, but shushed him all the same. She sighed. He was such a distraction.

"And then, as I saw a pair of big yellow eyes, right from that sink," she said dramatically, pointing. Then she looked Harry straight in the eye. "And then I was dead."

Harry and Ron looked at each other, carefully moving towards the sink aforementioned. Carved on the pewter handle, were two intertwining snakes.

James, for once, appeared to have nothing to say and no comment to make.

Ron tried the handle, preparing himself with the funniest face for whatever he expected to come shooting out of the tap.

Nothing happened.

"It's never worked," said Myrtle dismissively. The four of them exchanged looks.

"Thanks Myrtle," said Ron. "You've really helped us out." He dragged Harry away before she could make a move on him.

They walked quickly down the corridor and then turned the corner only to see a cluster of teachers looking awfully grim.

"Was there a murder attempt on Filch?" James asked excitedly. Lily shot him a look that clearly told him that he would either close him mouth or bear her wrath. Evidently he chose the former, as the mouth was quickly closed, and comments rapidly ceased.

Harry and Ron dashed around the corner, but stuck their heads around the side to see what was happening.

The teachers opened their circle.

_HER SKELETON WILL LIE IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER._

The writing was fresh, dripping red, the smell sickening. James looked at Lily in horror.

"Not Hermione," he whispered pushing towards the wall.

"No, no," said Lily. "Hush a moment. Listen…"

"Ginny Weasley," affirmed McGonagall sadly, to the quiet pitter-pats of blood dripping to the floor.

Lily gasped as Ron whipped back around the corner and turned a ghostly shade of white. He slid down the floor and stared at Harry in shock. James and Lily dashed back to the boys and Lily knelt by Ron's side.

"Ron … we've got to figure it out. We've got to find Ginny. Because if we don't… and Hermione too…she figured out everything already, we've got to be brave and go do it…" Harry babbled, shocked into incoherency.

"Save Hermione, save Ginny," save James roughly. "You know what you've got to do, boys."

They did. But as they rounded the corner they heard Lockheart boasting, "and I already know how to get into the Chamber itself… I've known for ages really. It's exceedingly simple… can't image how Dumbledore never figured it out, myself…"

McGonagall spun around to face him. "Have you really, now? Well, then – this changes everything. You, Gilderoy, will go find Ginny in the Chamber. You _are_ the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor… this is right up your alley. When will you be journeying down there…?" She trailed off and his answer was not heard.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, and then headed off after him.

They burst into his office only to see him packing up his bags with a certain urgency.

"The hell…" said Ron, looking at Harry.

But it was Lily who had, in a very Hermione-like fashion, already figured out what was going on.

"You COWARD," she yelled, starting off, heading straight for Lockheart, "you filthy, rotten, good-for-nothing COWARD!"

James, after standing rooted to the spot for a moment in absolute astonishment, ran after his wife. He knew she wouldn't be able to do the man any damage but it was the principle of the thing.

At that point, Harry and Ron were finding out what had caused such an outburst in Lily.

"You're… leaving?" asked Ron, in utter disbelief.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Expecting me to go down the chamber…preposterous…"

"But," said Harry, "you know how to get into the Chamber!"

Lockheart looked at him scathingly. "Of course not, dear boy. No one does. Where on earth would you get that idea?"

Lily let out a screech and started forward, very much in the state of mine where she was going to punch him. James would have loved to see this and was secretly enjoying his wife's pure hatred towards Lockheart, but knew he should stop her. He put his arms around her and watched the muscles work in Harry's jaw.

"You…you…"

"You're a bloody FRAUD," shouted Ron. "I don't BELIEVE this! My SISTER is down there, and you – you – you're LEAVING? How dare you? How DARE you!?" Ron moved forward and at that point, Harry, who knew that without intervention violence was very probable, grabbed Ron's shoulders and shoved him behind him. He then yanked his wand out of his robes and pointed it at Lockheart's face.

"You," said Harry with a grim quietness, "will be accompanying us to the Chamber to find Ron's sister. Got it?" He stabbed his wand at Lockheart with each word. A bead of sweat worked its way down Lockheart's cheek.

"Of course. Fine. Have it your way, Potter. But I won't be able to help you."

"I don't care," growled Harry, flourishing his wand. "Let's go. Now."

James looked at his son with an open mouth.

"Trying to catch a fly, darling?" Lily smirked, grinning at her son. "He is a force to be reckoned with, isn't he," she said softly.

"I'd say so, yeah," said James started at his son, slightly awed. "Bloody Hell, Harry."

His parents followed him, shaking their heads slightly as Harry and Ron, prodding him with their wands, forced Lockheart into the girls' washroom.

Myrtle watched them with some amusement as the three entered her domain. She giggled at Harry, but the situation was far too dire for anyone to pay her any attention.

They crowded around the sink and Harry tried the tap again, to no avail. He glared at it and debated giving it a good clout before Ron said, "Harry – I think you should try to talk to it."

Harry swung his head round to face Ron. "Have you," he asked pointedly, "gone absolutely nuts? "Yeah, brilliant idea, I should _talk_ to the snake -" but he broke off as he realized what he was saying.

"Did I really just see that?" James asked excitedly. "Lily – Lily! Ronald said something intelligent! Ron said something that is actually going to be _helpful_! What a day!"

This brought the ghost of a smile to Lily's mouth, as James had hoped, but she was too anxious for Ginny's sake to laugh. James put an arm around her.

A strange hissing sound emitted from Harry's mouth just then, and a grinding sound started up.

"What the bloody hell did you just do?" asked Ron, propelling himself away from the tap.

Harry shrugged. "I asked it to please open."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Please tell me you didn't say 'please', mate. This is not a time for 'please'." Harry didn't respond to that, only reddened slightly, which made Lily smile, which effectively made James happier.

The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets spiralled grandly out of the ground, the five following its progress with their heads. As it grinded to a stop, producing a grimy-looking entrance, Ron stabbed his wand into Lockheart's back.

"You first," he said, with a terrible smile. "I insist."

Lockheart started to say something about them no longer needing his help, but Ron caught him off guard and shoved him town the tunnel.

"Well done, Ron!" said James.

"Sorry,' said Ron, "couldn't resist. I really hate him, you know, Harry. We really could have just left him up here. Best idea he's had yet."

"I dunno," said Harry dubiously. "We still may have a use for him…"

"Fat chance," snorted James. "That man has absolutely _no_ use whatsoever. None at all. Zero. Zip. The big goose egg -"

"James would you _stop!_" screeched Lily. She then shoved him down the tunnel so that they would beat Harry and Ron down, though the boys soon followed.

Everyone had landed in a massive pile of bones.

"Lovely," said Lily, distaste evident in her face. Ron, in a moment of anger towards Lockheart, chucked a bone at his head, which produced an interesting sound upon contact.

"See that? Hollow. I knew it," said Ron. James laughed and slapped him on the back fondly.

Lockheart, in retaliation, grabbed Ron's wand and pointed it at Ron's chest.

"Oh no, oh no no no," said Lily.

"So this is how it's going to go, kiddies," said Lockheart. "The world will hear of your _tragic_ demise, they will hear of my courageous attempt to save you, and the girl, but that I was just _too late_. And if, by some miracle, you _do_ manage to make it out alive, it won't matter anyways because I'll have erased your memories anyways. So long, boys. Sorry it had to end like this, I really am," and with that he flourished his wand and sent the charm that should have erased Ron's memory. But it would be wise to remember that Lockheart wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer… he had, of course, forgotten about the current condition of Ron's wand. The spell backfired and sent Lockheart smashing into the wall, and Lily and James into gales of laughter.

"Well," said Ron, "that's worked out rather nicely."

Harry was inclined to agree before he had to throw himself out of the way of a small cascade of rocks. As well as smashing Lockheart into the wall, the charm had caused a small avalanche of boulders, creating a wall – Harry on one side, Ron and Lockheart on the other.

Ron muttered a string of profanities while Harry examined the damage.

"I'll stay, mate. You know, Harry, you can talk to the thing – clearly you're the one who is supposed to go. I'll stay and start moving the boulders. Maybe – if he wakes up – Lockheart will give me a hand. Go, I'll be here when you get back – promise."

Harry nodded, knowing that he was going to face more than just a snake through the second tunnel, but he threw his shoulders back, glad of a reason to keep Ron safer.

"See you … soon," said Harry, his voice hitching on the last word. He turned his back before he lost his nerve, his parents hurrying, sick with worry now, after him.

After a few turns down a dripping tunnel, Harry found himself in a large cavernous room. At the end of a pathway through pools of water, was the figure of Ginny Weasley, lying on the ground as though dead. Harry began to sprint towards the almost garish red of her hair spilled like blood over the stones.

"Ginny! GINNY!" he yelled, skidding to a stop beside her, James and Lily right behind.

Harry shook her and yelled louder, but nothing. She did not open her eyes.

"She's not dead," said Lily shakily.

"Yet," said James.

A young man was suddenly standing above the four. Harry looked up to see him and started speaking frantically as Lily and James recoiled from the figure.

"You have – you have to help me, please, she's – well, I dunno, I think there's something wrong with her – you have to help me save her – please!"

The young man slowly shook his head.

"It's already too late," he said, tilting his head while regarding Harry. "Unfortunate for the poor girl…but I needed her. She needed to be sacrificed."

Harry looked up at the man in horror.

"You…you…"he began, unable to form a complete thought. Finally he managed, "you're Tom Riddle, aren't you," pointing at the diary.

Riddle smirked. "I am," he said.

Harry looked down at Ginny, then back up at him. "What did you _do_?" he asked hoarsely.

Riddle was only too happy to explain. He told how Ginny had found the diary and spilt her secrets into its pages and how he had written back comfortingly. Lily and James became increasingly agitated as Riddle approached Harry, inch by inch. Riddle continued his story as he came closer; explaining how Ginny had poured so much of herself into the diary that it sapped at her life and strengthened his. Harry had found the diary after Ginny, scared, had tried to dispose of it.

"I was so excited, Harry," said Riddle with a twisted smile that caused James' fists to curl, "when I found out that it was you who had my diary." Harry recoiled from the smile, pressing fingers into Ginny's neck, searching for a pulse. Lily had crouched down beside him and was whispering into his ear desperately, though she knew he couldn't hear her.

"Be smart, sweetheart; think about this. Use that mind of yours. Put the pieces together. You know who this is. You _know_." James knelt, too, pulling Lily into his chest.

"And then," said Riddle, with some distaste, "she stole it back. I had enough of her by that point to make her write her own death sentence on the way before sending her down to the Chamber."

Harry had started to shake in a combination of anger and fear.

"Why," he asked, hardly containing himself. "Why would you put a piece of yourself in the diary and do this to an innocent girl?"

"We needed to finish the work Slytherin started, Harry. I needed to make sure that the next person would succeed in their lifetime. And she will. Dearest Ginny, I owe much to you…"

James nearly threw himself at Riddle at that point, only Lily's restraint holding him back.

"Nothing," she said harshly, "will come of you attacking something that can't feel you, James. Please. Stay here, with me and Harry."

Riddle chuckled darkly, watching Ginny's pulse beneath Harry's fingers flutter spastically.

"It is almost done," he said softly, stepping closer once more. "Soon I will be back to full strength…"

Harry barely stifled a gasp, finally realizing who it was standing before him.

"Voldemort," he said, his voice strangled with barely contained emotion. "But…how? You're Tom Riddle…Tom Riddle…"

Voldemort, with an odd grimace that Harry suddenly understood to be a smile, raised his wand and wrote in a fiery script: _TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE_. With badly disguised triumph he swished his wand, sending the letters flying through the air. They reassembled several seconds later, now spelling, _I AM LORD VOLDEMORT._

Harry looked up at him in abject horror. He knew he mustn't let anything happen to Ginny, knew that he could not afford to let her strength bleed into Voldemort's quickly solidifying form.

"I am," said Voldemort with a deadly quiet confidence, "the greatest wizard of all time. And this will prove it to any disbelievers. They will see."

"You're not," said Harry, surprising himself. "Dumbledore is the greatest wizard. Not you."

Waves of fury rolled off of Riddle, and Harry jumped up in alarm. Before either could say anything, however, a beautiful piercing song rang through the Chamber.

"Fawks?" said Harry quietly, disbelieving. Voldemort looked equally surprised. The beautiful phoenix carried with him the Sorting Hat. Voldemort, seeing this, began to laugh.

"These," he said contemptuously, "are the weapons the _great _Dumbledore sends his warrior?"

"Yes," said Harry, immediately jumping to Dumbledore's defence, "they are."

"If they are so _great,_" spat Voldemort, "then I challenge you to a duel. You are Dumbledore's protégée…therefore we should be rather evenly matched, I think…"

"NO!" yelled Lily, "oh, please no…"

James paled and gripped Lily closer to him, frozen to the spot.

Harry was about to pull out his wand when Voldemort uttered a hiss, a hiss that Harry could understand. The basilisk was coming.

Harry started to run, tearing through the water, sending droplets flying everywhere. He took a sharp left, hearing a grotesque sort of slithering barely out of earshot. Lily and James came careening after him, both of them screaming mangled directions, consumed by panic. Harry took turn after turn, and, to his horror, found himself in exactly the same place as he had begun. The hissing was louder, and unable to watch his own death, and deaf to Lily and James' screams, he crouched into a defensive position, eyes shut.

When nothing had happened after several seconds and the hissing became cries of pain, Harry ventured a glance upwards.

Fawkes was flying at the gigantic snake, tearing at its eyes with his claws. Harry watched in wonder as the basilisk writhed in pain. James and Lily, now silent, took in the bloody eye sockets and then turned back to Voldemort, gauging his reaction.

The basilisk was not dealing with the pain very well. It jerked spastically and its tail whipped around, eventually catching the Sorting Hat and thrusting it at Harry. He saw Voldemort's sneer forming at the "weapon" from Dumbledore.

_Please, please,_ thought Harry, _help me somehow. Please help. Why did you send me this, Dumbledore, please…_ The shining form of Riddle/Voldemort was glowing with Ginny's life. Harry had very little time left.

Very suddenly, a brightness caught his eye. There was something protruding from the opening flap of the hat…Harry pulled at it and produced a magnificent sword.

Lily gasped. "James – James!" she said excitedly, "that's the sword of Gryffindor! I knew Dumbledore had it, but that's just _brilliant_, this is good!" Her hopefulness surprised James, and he began to dare to hope himself.

Harry started at the sword in wonder; Voldemort stared with longing and caution.

"Harry, you don't know how -"

But his words were lost as Harry threw himself towards the great snake and, without allowing himself to think about what he was doing, he gripped the hilt and stabbed the sword right through the snake's open mouth. The sword lodged itself in the roof of its mouth, creating screams and hisses that were almost unbearable. But the snake was dying. That was what Harry needed.

He had barely breathed a sigh of relief when the basilisk's teeth began falling out. One of the larger fangs grazed Harry's arm, causing him to cry out in acute pain.

"No! Harry! NO!" Lily and James' relief had been short-lived. They knew of the terrible poison that would have been transferred to Harry's arm from the fang.

Harry stumbled, but managed to bring himself back to where Ginny was sitting. Fawkes suddenly swooped down and perched on Harry's arm.

"Oh thank goodness," breathed Lily.

"What?" said James, swinging around to face her.

"Honestly, James," she said, rolling her eyes, "did you look at _one_ book during your time at the school? Phoenix tears have healing proprieties. Fawkes can cleanse the wound and dress it – all by crying. It's fascinating really…"

James let her trail off, holding her tightly, a small smile on his face. But he knew that Ginny was still dying and he knew that Voldemort had not been stopped entirely.

Voldemort was furious that Harry was healed; furious that Dumbledore's tricks had worked. Suddenly, almost full of life now, he lifted his wand. Harry, Lily and James knew _exactly_ which spell he was about to cast, but before he could, Fawkes swept at the floor with his wings, effectively giving Harry Riddle's diary. In a spilt second, barely knowing what he was doing himself, he stabbed at the diary with the poisonous basilisk fang – to what end he could hardly surmise.

Riddle/Voldemort screamed and fragments of his new form began streaking away from him, sinking into Ginny's small ghostly frame. After several minutes of this, Riddle was gone. The diary had gushed a blackish bloody ink, but had now stopped. The snake was dead and Riddle was gone. The chamber was awfully quiet. Until –

"Harry?" asked Ginny faintly, beginning to stir. James and Lily were already at her side, stroking her hair and talking in soft, soothing voices.

"Ginny!" said Harry, relief making him weak. "You're alright – Ron's here. Don't ask about Riddle…he's gone."

Ginny looked up at Harry. "Where's Ron, Harry?"

Harry helped her up to her feet. "This way. C'mon."

The four of them made their way back down to the chamber where Ron had managed to clear a hole big enough for Harry and Ginny to climb through.

"Hello!" said a vacant-looking Lockheart. "This young man tells me that my name's Lockheart. I hope he's right. What's your name?"

Harry looked at Ron in alarm, who was laughing and hugging Ginny. "Er – I'm Harry."

Lockheart looked at him in consternation. "But why can't _my_ name be Harry?" he sulked. "And will someone please tell me what these things are that we're sitting on and why I am here?"

James and Lily had now started laughing along with Ron and Harry. "Clearly," said Lockheart, glaring at everybody, "there is something funny going on here and you are all so despicable as to not tell me what it is. Fine. Be that way."

James was laughing outright now. "Won't this be fun to try and explain to everyone?" he asked delightedly. Lily put a hand on his arm, but giggled herself.

"Indeed."

Ron looked at Harry at that point and said, "How the bloody hell are we going to explain this to everyone?"

"Just tell them," said James rationally, "that he was telling you boys all about his various exploits, didn't see the wall right in front of him – that's so believable, I have surprised even myself with my intelligence – and that the wall didn't appreciate that, and therefore he got a good strong clout to the head. Seeing as there wasn't much in there to begin with anyways, it's only logical that he would lose it all." Lily began to laugh again, and Harry was laughing at Ron's suggestion that perhaps Lockheart was examining himself in the mirror, got a little too close, and hit himself on the head.

"Brilliant, Ron! That's excellent," said James with a grin.

Everyone quieted down seeing Ginny – she was not looking as well as they would have liked. By some miracle, Fawkes was able to lift the four living beings, and carry them back up the tunnel, towards the school. Lily and James met them at the top and everyone escorted Ginny to the hospital wing, where Madame Pomfrey thought it would be best to admit all four. Arthur and Molly Weasley were brought to her their daughter immediately and Dumbledore came too.

"Just in case," she said to the groans of the boys. Lily thoroughly agreed with her and told them that. James was the only one who heard her, of course, and he wasn't listening. Of course. She smiled slightly, as she watched her son be tucked in by Madame Pomfrey. She watched them all take the sleeping potions – Lockheart was _very_ wary of drinking it - James thought that Madame Pomfrey had ought to just give him a good whack to the back of his head, but she didn't listen to him. The hospital was quiet and a safe darkness enveloped them all. Only then did Lily let a single tear escape, and she brushed it away with the heel of her hand before James could see.

***

The feast was in full swing when Dumbledore made the announcement.

"The mandrake juice has finally fermented long enough – it has been administered to the victims and they will be joining us shortly. Let us give a large round of applause to Professor Sprout!"

Harry, Ron, Lily and James clapped and whistled, along with everyone from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Harry hardly touched his food – he and James kept craning their necks to see if Hermione had returned yet. The victims trickled in one by one until everyone but Hermione had returned. Harry had just turned worriedly to Ron to ask him if perhaps they should go looking for her when Neville said,

"Harry! Harry – it's Hermione!"

Ron leaned out from the table; Harry leaned out even further and James actually stood up on the table in order to see. Lily laughed at the three of them – she had an excellent view of the little girl between the heads of Seamus and Neville.

She stood, a little uncertainly, just inside the doors to the Hall. Her eyes were searching, searching down the Gryffindor table until she found the two she was looking for.

Harry, upon seeing her, grinned – Lily had never seen him look so happy. Her face, upon seeing _him_, lit up with the most beautiful of smiles and she started to run down between the benches. Harry scrambled out from the benches as fast as he could. Lily and James looked at each other. James shook his head a tiny bit.

"Twelve-year-old protocol, remember," he said, watching his son carefully.

Hermione barely slowed as she reached Harry, throwing her arms around him in pure, uncontained, undiluted happiness. He hugged her back tightly, pressing her close before pulling away. James and Lily stared at the two, open-mouthed.

Hermione had now moved forwards, looking reading to hug Ron as well, but slightly more hesitant. Ron, entirely embarrassed, was not prepared to hug Hermione, happy as he was to see her, in front of the entire Great Hall and most of his family. He stuck out his hand instead, ears reddening, saying, "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," she said, grinning at Harry, who told Dean Thomas to move so that she could sit right beside him.

"You figured it out!" she said excitedly, "you did it!"

"Only because of you," said Harry grinning back at her, a little shyly. Ron nodded his agreement, as his mouth was full of mashed potatoes at that point.

Lily turned to James to say something about the exchange, but she found him glaring at his son and Hermione.

"What on earth's wrong with _you_?" she asked, very surprised.

"Two things," said James. "First – it isn't fair that Harry gets to hug her, and I do not – as a father, I mean. And second, I never hugged a girl till I was in third year. This is ridiculous. And third, how can they not see what's going on? How can no-one in this _room_ see what's going on?"

Lily saw Neville watching her son and Hermione, as well as the Weasley twins who were speaking uncharacteristically seriously, shooting glances between the pair the whole time.

"Oh, James," said Lily. "I think that people have noticed."

"Just not the two of them," he sighed. "Figures."


	10. Third Year Part One

**Disclaimer: See? I'm back! Not JK Rowling, not compatible with the universe set by JK Rowling (in certain respects, at least), yadda yadda yadda. **

**I will be away these next two weeks, but I will write by hand on the plane, so as to simply type everything up by the time I'm home again, once things at school settle down.**

**I SAW HBP. It's sad that Harry and Hermione have so much more chemistry than Harry and Ginny. The scene where Harry is comforting Hermione? Is beautiful. Gah.**

Also: thanks for the positive response after the new chapter. I love hearing from you, and if there's something wrong, or something you need more of, or something you just really liked, please tell me so that I can add more of what you want. Thanks! ****

Aunt Marge was very large. Harry said this little rhyme under his breath to keep himself under control while she sauntered around the Dursleys' house. _Aunt Marge was very large; she was almost as large as a barge. _Harry laughed out loud at that particular addition to his ditty which caused a round of severe questioning about the state of his mental health.

"Laughing to himself," said Marge. "Sure sign of insanity!"

Harry gritted his teeth, and repeated the rhyme, turning his back on the woman he called Aunt.

James was gearing up, as though a professional boxer.

"You look positively ferocious," said Lily, rolling her eyes as her husband bounced up and down, punching the air around Marge. "Honestly, darling."

Marge was really not a very smart character at all, and she continued on to insult Harry's parents. Lily and James were not entirely affected by this – well, that's not exactly true: James reacted rather badly to Marge calling Lily a bitch. It was extraordinarily lucky for Marge at that point that James was not in any state to hurt her.  
Although, Harry was, and it ended rather badly for Marge.

Harry whipped around, yelling, "SHUT UP! JUST SHUP UP!"

The lights started to flicker around him, and the chandelier above the table tinkled as the glass pieces bounced off of the others. The glass exploded in Marge's hand, sending shards of glass and drops of blood-like liquid spraying at her face.

"Foreshadowing!" sang James delightedly.

"Oh no," said Lily. "Harry – Harry, sweetheart you _must _control yourself. Harry - !"  
James added nothing to his wife's plea, he was rather interested in seeing Harry's magic explode in some way or another.

In the end, Marge didn't actually explode. That would have been very satisfying to see, although potentially traumatic for Harry to endure, so the fact that he simply blew up his Aunt in the fashion of a big balloon was good enough.

Everyone watched in fascination as the pearls suddenly popped from around her neck and the buttons flew off her clothing, unable to contain the expanding flesh. James was on the ground he was laughing so hard, and Lily was doubled over entirely.

"I never liked her," she finally managed, as Marge drifted off into the sky, Vernon screeching at her from his knees.

"Looks as though he's praying," remarked Lily.

"Yes," agreed James, wiping away tears of mirth from his eyes, "I'm sure he is imploring that Jesus deliver her from this world. I should personally like to thank Him if He does." And with that, James pretended to pull out a handkerchief and wave it solemnly to the sky at the retreating from of Aunt Marge. Lily, at that point, lost any semblance of self-control and let herself be engulfed by laughter and her husband continued waving morosely at the sky.

x.x.x

Upstairs, after they had calmed down, they found Harry kicking at his bedside table. He put his head in his hands and stared at the two pictures on his bedside table. One was of Lily and James themselves, dancing in the autumn breeze, leaves wafting around their feet. It was a lovely picture.

The one beside it was of Harry, Hermione and Ron throwing leaves at each other, Ron stuffing leaves down Harry's back and Harry messing up Hermione's hair, both of them looking at each other from time to time, grinning. Lily loved both pictures, but spent most of her time looking at the one of her son.

Harry stared at the pictures and then made up his mind. He needed out. He couldn't stay with the Dursleys for any longer, at least for this summer. He grabbed all his things and packed his trunk, slamming it closed and clomping down the stairs.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?" roared Vernon Dursley. Before he could say a word more, Harry pulled out his wand, Vernon immediately tripping backwards with a whimper.

"You can't do magic out of school," he stammered. Harry shot him a murderous glance.

"Oh yeah? In case you haven't noticed, I've already blown up my aunt. I _really_ can't imagine them being altogether anxious about me hexing the rest of the family."

He pushed past his uncle. "I'm not coming back," he said as he slammed the door behind him.

James and Lily followed, a little bit in awe of their son, but also a tad fearful of the night that their son was venturing into. He wasn't in London and couldn't get to the Leaky Cauldron or the Burrow without help. He wandered around for a while before sitting down a street corner.

"Well look at that," said Lily with a smile, looking up at the lamppost. "Harry's found a Knight Bus stop! Oh, thank goodness."

James nodded, and sat down next to his son. "Well done, Harry. I have never seen Vernon's face turn quite so purple, which is unbelievable even to me, brilliant work."

Harry, who hadn't heard these comforting words, looked around him warily. Suddenly, a noise cause his attention and he started behind him, to a dew-riddled, rusty playground. Lily followed his gaze and gave a start.

"James – James look!" she said excitedly, pointing. "It's Sirius – oh! It's Sirius!"

James span around so that he became a blur.

"Look – just there." She pointed to a nearby thicket of trees, just beyond the playground.

"Sirius!" Lily started to call. "Sirius – over - !" She stopped suddenly with an impatient huff. James sighed.

"It is incredibly tedious being un-dead. Or half-alive. Whichever. I have begun to tire of it."

Lily laughed as Sirius let out growl, almost as if in agreement. Harry, however, recoiled from the sound in fear, yanking out his wand and pointing it at the dog.

"Oh no – oh no," said Lily, starting forwards. James gave Harry a very stern look.

"I would appreciate it," he said pointedly, "if you didn't jinx, hex, curse, or in any way kill my best friend. Thank you for your consideration."

Harry, of course, wasn't listening and Sirius, also deaf, growled once more.

"Oh dear," said Lily.

"Harry," said James with a sigh, "you have no idea how disappointed in you I'll be if you curse your godfather. I mean, really. He's like family. I would entirely approve of his biting you, young man, just so you know. You'll not be getting any sympathy from me, son. None. Not in the slightest.

Sirius the dog had ventured even closer to Harry, far enough out so that he was clearly visible.

"He looks horrible," breathed Lily.

James paused in his monologue to Harry long enough to scrutinize his friend and agree solemnly. He then resumed it, as his son still had not lowered his wand.

"Oh for heaven's sake," said Lily. "Ernie's late by almost ten minutes. This is ridiculous. He should've been here two minutes after Harry."

Just as she uttered the last syllable, the Knight Bus came screeching to a halt in front of Harry, causing him to lose his balance and knocking him flat on his back.

A man in need of some serious hygiene help was standing on a step. He pulled out some cue cards and began to recite a welcome speech in a tone that suggested he would rather be watching paint dry than fulfill his current job.

He glanced up to see whether his newest arrival was even bothering to listen to his speech and was rather surprised to note that there was nobody standing there. He wasn't a very bright young man and it took a few moments for him to rustle up the brain cells required to tell him to lower his gaze. He first saw the overturned luggage and then the boy sprawled out on the sidewalk, staring up at him in astonishment.

"What," asked the man with a frown, "are you doing down there?"

"What," asked James, mimicking his tone, "kind of rubbish question is that?"

Harry, clearly, agreed with his father, which was evident in the irritated, slightly defensive tone he used to say, "I fell."

Stan Shunpike, apparently, had used up his available supply of brain power for the day and asked, "Well, what did you do _that_ for?"

Harry, James and Lily stared at him incredulously.

"Bloody Hell," said James. "I swear, they're getting stupider by the second."

Lily could not for life of her comprehend such stupidity and she had absolutely nothing to say to this excessive lack of intelligence.

"D'you think I fell on purpose?" asked Harry with an attitude that normally Lily would have reprimanded him for, but here felt it wholly applicable.

Stan, incapable of the extreme mental gymnastic ability required to process Harry's sarcasm, was left with nothing to do but usher him onto the bus. He showed Harry to the bed right next to his post, wanting to keep an eye on his sarcastic teenaged friend. Casting Harry a wary glance, he pulled out a newspaper and opened it noisily.

"There's no way," said James incredulously, "that that man can read. There's just no way."

"No darling," said Lily, "he's just looking at the pictures. They move, see? Gives him mental stimulation."

James laughed as Ernie stomped on the brakes, sending an unsuspecting Harry flying into a window, which made James laugh even harder.

While his face was smashed up against the glass, Harry caught sight of a picture of a man who appeared to be hollering something unpleasant.

James pointed at the picture. "Great mug shot Sirius's got there. Looks like he's singing opera."

Lily started to laugh. She knew that Sirius had not killed all the people (they had watched the entire scene from above and they knew all about Peter Pettigrew). She also knew that he would be very difficult to catch on account of his being an unregistered Animagus. She still feared for her friend, but knew that he probably wouldn't be caught.

Harry of course – to James and Lily's supreme and inevitable annoyance – was filled in, by Stan, the incorrect version of events concerning Sirius Black.

"Please don't listen to the man who can't read, Harry," said James. "It's really inadvisable to do so. Really, I would suggest keeping a distance of thirty feet from any human with intelligence inferior to that of an acorn."

"Shall I back up, then?" asked Lily wickedly, grinning at her husband.

"I think we all should," James started to say before he realized that she had been referring to him. He opened his mouth to say something clever – hopefully – but the bus then came to a screeching halt just outside of the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, echoed by his parents'.

"Now then," said James, "first we now know NEVER TO TRUST PUBLIC TRANSPORT. Second, let's go see what Fudge has to say about Harry's blowing up his aunt. I'm sure everyone's just thrilled."

"You don't suppose he'll be expelled?" asked Lily with a gasp.

"Oh no, darling – he's far too valuable. I guarantee it. Fudge will come up with some ridiculous reason why they won't expel him and they'll tell him not to wander the shabbier areas of Diagon Alley. That'll be it."

"And you know this _how_?" asked Lily, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I didn't blow up my aunt, if that's what you're asking. I was rather fond of my aunts, actually…"

Lily laughed as they walked into the Leaky Cauldron just behind Harry and Ton, hearing the Knight bus set off with a bang.

Tom led the three up the stairs after having whisked away all of Harry's belongings. He led to a large, elaborate wooden door, clearly one of the nicest rooms available.

"Minister wishes to see you," said Tom bowing, and then rather shoved Harry into the room.

He found Cornelius Fudge sitting behind a massive desk. He grinned as Harry stumbled into the room.

"Harry!" he exclaimed jovially. "Our star pupil! You must be excited for the new year, eh? I've taken the liberty of sending for your books already…I hope you don't mind…"

Harry stared at Fudge in astonishment.

"You mean…" said Harry, with slight trepidation, "I'm not going to be expelled?"

Fudge looked up at him with a bemused smile. "Goodness gracious, my dear boy, of _course_ not! We don't expel people for blowing up their aunts!"

"Actually," interjected James, "they do. Generally. But don't worry, Harry. You'll have to do something truly terrible before they throw you out – trust me."

"Just promise me," said Fudge, serious for a moment, "that you'll stay in Diagon Alley, close to the main street if possible. Don't go wandering off. Now – that will be all. Off to bed with you!"

Harry, elated and with a much lighter heart than he'd had while entering the pub, grinned to himself and took the stairs leading to his room two at a time.

x.x.x

Harry woke to the sound of bickering that was punctuated by the occasional hiss. He heard a voice he knew very well raised and irritated. He dressed as fast as he could, trying to fit his shirt over his legs in his haste.

James stared at his son. "What's gotten into _you_?"

"Hermione's downstairs," said Lily idly, not looking up from the book she was perusing. "She's with Ron. Can't you hear them fighting?

But even before Lily had finished filling in James, Harry had already ungracefully barrelled through the door and jumped down most of the stairs (very nearly landing on some poor old witch in the process).

He arrived on the landing, Lily and James just behind him, to see Ron holding his rat rather protectively. He was glaring at a girl who was standing opposite of him. She had a very large, very fluffy orange cat.

"I don't believe Harry will have ever seen Hermione in jeans," remarked Lily, tilting her head.

James looked at her.

"What?" he said, rather ineloquently. "Where's Hermione?"

Just then, Ron finally apprehended Harry, and the furious expression on his face melted away.

The girl opposite Ron whirled around, a smile transfiguring her angry features. She clutched at her cat in delight.

"Harry!" she exclaimed happily.

Harry raised his eyebrows, opening his mouth to say something, but just smiling at her instead.

"She cut her hair!" said James, regarding the pretty curls grazing the tops of her delicate shoulders. "She's wearing jeans! She looks…she looks…"

James, apparently, did not have the words to describe this transformation in the girl he had come to view as a daughter. His little girl was growing up. Her hair was cut more or less fashionably, by muggle standards at the very least, and the jeans and sweater hugged new curves.

"The heroine got gorgeous," said James finally.

"Heroine indeed," said Lily with a smile.


End file.
